Songs for a Rainy Day
by Nikki Flinn
Summary: A collection of song fic one shots. Each chapter will probably be a new ship. Most will be GD though.
1. Can't Take It

**"Can't Take It"**

Ginny pushed her hair angrily from her face and refused to meet his eyes.

"Ginny..." Harry began. "Please don't be this way?"

_You speak to me_

She spun angrily to face him. "What way? Is this not how a girl's supposed to behave when her boyfriend's cheating on her with her best friend? Am I supposed to just lay down and take it?" She snarled.

Luna smiled her dreamy smile and for once in her life, Ginny longed to slap her friend. "Ginny, don't blame Harry."

_I know this will be temporary_

Ginny turned to her. "Why not? Did you seduce him with your feminine wiles?"

Luna smiled again. "No, you did this all your self."

_You ask to leave,_

Ginny recoiled as if struck. "What?" She whispered.

"Luna's right Gin. You... you're never home!" Harry announced.

"What does that-" Ginny began only to be cut off.

"You're constantly at work or helping other out. Don't get me wrong! I think it's great, but, Gin, when is there ever time for us?"

_But I can tell you that I've had enough_

Ginny felt herself go pale. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I did, Gin. I said plenty. But there was always someone else to save and you never heard."

Ginny felt her knees shaking and sat down. Harry looked down on her with pity. She wanted to slap the look right off his face. Stupid prick. Did he think she needed his pity? She helped hundreds every week with her job. Who was he to judge her?

"We'll leave now, Gin."

_I can't take it  
This welcome is gone_

Ginny looked up, meeting his eyes. "You do that Potter. You run away like a damned coward. Don't ever come around again."

_And  
I've waited long enough to make it_

Harry flinched but kept her eyes. "You'd like that wouldn't you? For me to run away. Then you can have your tryst with Malfoy and live forever in your fairy land."

Ginny lept to her feet. "Is that what you think? You stupid bloody...cow!"

Harry stood firm. "Com'on Gin. I've seen the way you look at him, we all have!"

"I helped him! Which is a damn sight better than you've ever done!"

"Because you wanted him in the sack!"

"Because he NEEDED it! And because it's my job!"

Harry gave a sharp bark of laughter. "Malfoy? Need any one's help? That's a good one, Gin."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Fine, Potter. Let's haul your mum in and rape her before your eyes. See how well balanced you turn out."

_And if you're so strong_

Harry went still. Ginny knew she had probably gone too far but she was damned if she would recant this. She spun from him and marched into their apartment. Harry followed her.

"What are you doing?" He asked as she pulled out her trunk.

She glared at him. "I'm going to stay with my Mum for a couple of days. I'll be back for the rest of this."

_You might as well just do it alone_

She finished packing and stormed from the building.

_And I'll watch you go_

Ginny rubbed her head as she poured over the psychology book. The fight from yesterday was still fresh in her mind and no matter how she tried to distract herself, questions kept coming up.

_Step up to me  
I know that you've got something buried_

Was Harry right? Did she spend too much time with her work? She shook her head.

"Miss Weasley?"

She looked up sharply as her Secretary, Alice Cooper poked her head in.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to bother you, but your two o'clock, Mike Hanover is here."

Ginny smiled. "Thanks. Tell him I'll be right in."

_I'll set you free_

Mike had fought in the War. Like many he suffered survivors guilt. Ginny too had had the guilt and had gotten over it when she set up as a phsycologist. Now she helped others get over it.

She smiled at him as he lay on her couch.

"Hi, Ginnsy!" He gushed. It was no secret he had a minor crush on her.

She sat down opposite him. "What shall we discuss today, Mike?"

_You set conditions, but I've had enough_

As Mike gushed on Ginny listened stoicly. She loved her job. Because she made a difference.

_I can't take it  
This welcome is gone_

Ginny glanced up from her paper work at the knock on her door. She smiled as Draco Malfoy sauntered in.

_And  
I've waited long enough to make it_

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

Draco was Ginny's star patient. After three months of rehab, he was practically a new man. He was her proof that she could do anything.

"Not at all." She said, clearing space for the bag he held. He was working at a restaurant now as a chef and he always spent his lunch break with her.

"What did you bring me this time?" She asked, leaning forward.

_And if you're so strong_

He smacked her nose playfully. "Patience is a virtue."

She rubbed the appendage with a look of fiegned hurt. He laughed and leaned forward to kiss it.

"That better?"

_You might as well just do it alone_

Ginny smiled but she heard Harry's words again. It was ridiculous. Draco was just being himself. He didn't mean it.

Did he?

_And I'll watch you go_

Ginny pushed back her hair and knelt to retrieve the mail from where it had fallen. It was three months since her break up with Harry and she had her own small town house now with a garage. The house was far enough from the maddening crowd that she felt save letting magic keep the place tidy. She was considering opening her own business, maybe even over the garage but she wasn't sure just yet.

_Come back home, won't you come back home?_

She shuffled through the junk mail until a plain white envelope caught her eye. She turned it over. It was simply addressed to her. She frowned and flipped it open.

_You step in line, you got a lot to prove_

She pulled out the white card and felt her breath catch. It was a wedding invitation.

_It comes and goes  
Yeah, it comes and goes_

Her fingers shook as she flipped the invitation open.

It was to Harry and Luna's wedding.

_A step in time, yeah it's a lot to move_

Ginny felt her knees go weak and the world spun as she fell to her knees, clinging hopelessly to the marble counter top of her kitchen isle.

_I know this will be temporary_

Draco hummed tunelessly as he approached Ginny's front door. He had decided to surprise her with a home cooked dinner. He knew he was falling and he couldn't care less. The girl was just so addicting. His fix. At work sometimes he caught himself altering a dish because Ginny would like it better this way. When he first started therapy he hadn't wanted anything to do with the bloody girl.

But after a few sessions he began to find himself making progress. It wasn't long before he looked forward to their weekly meetings and it wasn't long before he got the job.

_I know this will be temporary_

He started coming to see her more not long after that. He couldn't get enough. He had surprised her with lunch one day and started to continue to do so after. She always praised his cooking even when he knew it was sub par but he loved just hearing those words come out of her mouth.

_I know this will be, but I've had enough_

Draco knocked again.

From somewhere inside he heard a muffled. "Go Away."

He was not to be detered. "Ginny? It's me. Draco."

There was a pause. Then again: "Go away."

_I can't take it_

Draco was not good with defeat. He frowned and knocked again. Ginny replied again. Her voice was louder and this time he caught the un mistakable sound of crying.

_This welcome is gone and_

Draco barely hesitated. He stepped back and kicked the door soundly open. The frame shattered and he marched in, grocery bag balanced on his hip.

Ginny was kneeling on her kitchen floor, her eyes red from crying.

_I've waited long enough to make it_

Draco set the bag on the counter and gathered her in his arms. She turned into him and wrapped her own around his neck.

_And if you're so strong  
You might as well just do it alone_

Draco glanced around the kitchen for a reason as to why she was so distraught. He found it on the floor. He flipped the card open and set his jaw at the words there.

_And I'll watch you go_

"That Prick." He muttered. "I'll kill him."

He started to set Ginny aside but she stopped him.

"No. Please. Stay." She whispered.

Draco could no more deny her than stop the sun. He took her again in his arms and held her. Right where he always wanted to be.

_I can't take it  
This welcome is gone and  
I've waited long enough to make it  
and if you're so strong  
you might as well just do it alone  
And I'll watch you go_


	2. Before He Cheats

**"Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood**

**Hermione/OC Hermione/Ginny Ron/Harry/Blaise**

Hermione hummed gently as she opened the front door to the small flat she and Joe shared. They had been dating for three months now and two weeks ago they had finally decided to move in together. Ginny had been understanding. In fact, she had been amazing ever since they had started living together. Now Ginny lived in a small house just outside of London by herself. Her new job as a librarian and assistant editor to Witch Weekly, kept her comfortable to say the least.

The phone was blinking when Hermione got in. She ignored it for the moment, focusing on putting away the groceries.

_Right now he's probably slow dancing with a bleach blonde tramp,  
and she's probably getting frisky..._

With everything away, Hermione turned her attention once more to the phone. There were three messages. She hit play. Ron's voice came on.

"Hey, Mione. Blaise and I were gonna take a night on the town. Harry's joining us. I don't know if you wanna come as well, but we're gonna be at the Red Fox all night. You know my number. Gimme a call."

Hermione smiled. Only those boys. Ron and Blaise had been dating for about a month when Ginny found them in bed together. Hermione felt bad for her best friend.

She frowned momentarily. Lately Ginny had been in her thoughts a lot. Not that she complained. She loved the vivacious redhead.

_Right now, he's probably buying her some fruity little drink cause she can't shoot whiskey..._

Hermione deleted the message from Ron. Ginny's pert voice came on next. "Hey, Mione. Just wanted to make sure we're still on for the fundraiser Saturday. Make sure you bring a change of clothes. Joe might get jealous if I bring you home soaking wet and half clad."

Hermione laughed. She had agreed to sit the Dunking Booth at the local fair to help Gin raise money for Witch Weekly.

_Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool-stick, showing her how to shoot a combo..._

Hermione reached down, deleting the message. She wrote a note to call Gin later as she waited for the final message to come on.

Joe's voice filtered through the speakers. "Hey, Herm." Laughter in the background and music. Hermione rolled her eyes. He was at some pub. "I'm gonna be late tonight. Don't wait up for me."

Hermione reached out to delete this message but her hand froze when a female voice in the background called out.

"Joey, baby. Come teach me those tricks."

Joe laughed and replied in a muffled tone. "Sure thing doll."

_And he don't know..._

Hermione stared in dull horror at the answering machine. It wasn't possible.

But it was. Joe was cheating on her. For a moment her hands crept towards her lips then she stopped. Well fuck him. She clenched her hands and looked around the apartment. There were two things Joe loved. His '57 Corvette and his 2007 Dell.

Hermione came up on the computer. For a moment she just stared at the beautiful peice of work. Then she pulled the modem out from the shelf and grabbed her titanium baseball bat. She paused and picked up a kitchen knife. She unplugged the computer and cut the wires several times before returning with the baseball bat. It only took a few minutes to reduce the modem to pieces of mother board and plastic. She marched into the kitchen again and returned with the bottle of chardonay that Joe had brough home the other week.

_That I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive,  
Carved my name into his leather seats...  
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights,  
Slashed a hole in all 4 tires..._

She was about to pop the top when something occured to her.

_Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats._

Maybe Joe wasn't cheating on her. Maybe he was just hanging out with some friends. But the voice...

_Right now, she's probably up singing some  
White-trash version of Shania karaoke..._

Hermione ran her hands through her hair. She was fretting over the computer and the possibility she was wrong when the phone rang.

She answered it flustered. "Yeah?"

"Mione?" The voice was Ron's. She sighed.

"Thank God Ron! I think I-"

_Right now, she's probably saying "I'm drunk"  
And he's a thinking that he's gonna get lucky,_

"Mione, I don't know how to tell you this."

Hermione went cold. "Tell me what?"

_Right now, he's probably dabbing on 3 dollars worth of that bathroom polo..._

"Well, we're down at the Red Fox and... well Joe's here. With some blond tart."

Hermione felt her world drop out. But suddenly everything cleared. She knew what she had to do. Her thoughts flitted to Ginny and a night with too much alcohol and a mistake she had made. When she stopped herself from making the biggest decision of her life. One she always knew to be true.

"Thanks Ron. Really."

"Mione? Wha-"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. And thanks. Really."

She hung up the phone. She went into the kitchen and pulled out a trash bag and her backpack. She loaded the back pack with the knife, the wine and a change of clothes. As an afterthought she stuck her wand and her keys into her back pocket. She shoveled the remains of the computer into the trashbag and grabbed the monitor and a bottle of pink nail polish Lavender had given her back in school.

_And he don't know..._

She marched down to the basement, where all the cars were kept.

There sat Joe's red '57 Convertable Corvette. She unlocked it and disabled the alarm. The top was up and she pulled out the knife. After slashing the khaki top into shreds she put it down and worked on carving obscene messages into his leather seats. She took out her keys and wrote quickly onto his hood a parting message.

She emptied the computer parts onto the back seats and popped the Chardonay. She pored half the bottle onto the mess then set the monitor on the front seat. With the pink nail polish she put a big heart on the screen and her name. She upended the bottle onto the vents of the computer and left it there.

_That I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive,  
Carved my name into his leather seats,  
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights,  
Slashed a hole in all 4 tires..._

Joe laughed as he led Maggie into the basement. "But let me show you my baby!" He gushed, turning on the lights.

_Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats._

Maggie screamed and Joe stared at the wreck of his car. Four words were scrawled on the hood.

Think Before You Cheat

_I might've saved a little trouble for the next girl,  
Cause the next time that he cheats..._

Ginny yawned and stumbled to the door of her house. She opened the door, surprised to see Hermione standing there.

"Mione? What are you-"

Hermione threw herself at her best friend and kissed her soundly.

_Oh, you know it won't be on me!_

_Ohh... not on me...  
Cause I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive,  
carved my name into his leather seats...  
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights,  
slashed a hole in all 4 tires..._

_Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats._

_Ohh.. Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats..._

_Ohh... before he cheats..._

The End.

(A/N: To everyone who wanted a better ending to Tainted Love.


	3. Two out of Three Ain't Bad

Two out of Three Ain't Bad: by Meatloaf

Ginny/Draco

_Baby we can talk all night_

Draco rose from the bed, glancing at the dark haired flavor of the week. She was a pretty little girl with curves in all the right places.

_But that ain't getting us nowhere_

She pushed herself up, staring at him with those errily familiar brown eyes. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like he knew her, even before he asked her in for the night.

_I told you everything I possibly can  
There's nothing left inside of here_

"Girl, if you're going to cry, do it once I leave." He drawled, pulling on his jeans.

_And maybe you can cry all night  
But that'll never change the way that I feel_

She cocked her pretty little head and smiled enticingly. Draco had to admit it was the best sex he had ever had. The sheet slid a bit further down her shoulder, revealing her pale, flawless skin.

"That won't change anything, now will it?" She asked in her familiar voice. Damn, where had he heard her before?

_The snow is really piling up outside  
I wish you wouldnt make me leave here_

"No, as a matter of fact, it won't." He replied, slipping into his impeccable white shirt. Well, nearly impeccable. He noticed a lipstick print on the collar. It was a pale burgundy, a modest yet elegant color. His shirt smelled like her too, a mix of cinnamon and chardonay.

_I poured it on and I poured it out_

She got out of the bed, stretching beautifully, totally un ashamed of her body. Not that Draco minded, she was well gifted in that department. But she was a Muggle. Probably it was all plastic.

_I tried to show you just how much I care  
I'm tired of words and I'm too hoarse to shout_

She retrieved her bra, strapping it on. He watched her dress in the mirror as he pretended to fix his tie. She moved with the same languid grace that had first caught his eye, shimmying into her jeans and tying back her dark hair.

"Then what's the use in tears?" SHe asked rhetorically. She searched the floor of his small flat for her shirt, finding it on the dresser.

_But you've been cold to me so long  
I'm crying icicles instead of tears_

"None." He replied. The words rang a bell in him though. They were the lyrics to some song from a musical. What was it again?

"You don't love me." She pointed out, slipping on her intricate silver earrings.

_And all I can do is keep on telling you_

He smiled. "No, my dear. _I want you. I need you. But --" _He met her eyes in the mirror. There was no sadness. In fact there was a pleasure. "_There ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you_."

She laughed, a delighted sound. "I suppose you're now going to say '_Now don't be sad,cause two out of three ain't bad._'"

He smirked. "Not now I won't."

"Wonderful. But don't lie to me Draco Malfoy."

He started. He hadn't told her his real name.

_Now don't be sad  
cause two out of three ain't bad_

He met her eyes again in the mirror. She smiled at him.

"What makes you think I'm lying?"

_You'll never find your gold on a sandy beach_

She smiled again. "People like you don't want anything. And if you wanted me, you'd come find me."

He looked down to the table for a second. Then there was a small pop. He spun around to find the girl gone.

_You'll never drill for oil on a city street_

Ginny Weasley had a plan. It was a very good plan, as far as they went. Then again, Hermione was in on it, so she knew it was sure to work. She had laid the seeds with her one nighter with the illusive Draco Malfoy. Apparently there were some truth to the rumors that went around at school. He had been fantastic. Ginny herself knew she wasn't nothing in bed either. Hell, she was great, according to Seamus.

One wouldn't normally assume Hermione to be in on a plan that involved Ginny and Draco getting intimate, but really it was all Hermione's idea. So Ginny didn't want to hear it.

_I know you're looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks_

Hermione had planted the bet. Both girls knew if anyone could win it, it would be Ginny. So Ginny had set about to make Draco Malfoy fall in love with her.

_But there ain't no coupe de ville hiding at the bottom of a cracker jack box_

Draco was in the bar again. For the seventh time in the past eight nights. In the eight nights since the girl walked out on him.

_I can't lie_

He glanced around the women present, looking for her.

_I can't tell you that I'm something I'm not_

He didn't see her, but a familiar face caught his eye and he grinned. That might just be worth it, he decided.

_No matter how I try  
I'll never be able_

Ginny was ready when Draco tapped her on the shoulder.

"Weasley."

"Malfoy," She purred in response, looking him up and down.

_To give you something  
Something that I just haven't got_

"Wanna tango?"

She bit her lip seductively. Damn, she was fine. He might not find Mysterious Missy, but for tonight, Ginny would do quite well.

"Vertical or horizontal?" She asked.

"You're awfully complacent." He murmured, drawing her from the crowd by her elbow.

_There's only one girl that I will ever love_

"I could use a good shag. Plus I can win quite a bet at work if I happen to find a tattoo on your persons." She said, with a suggestive raise of the eyebrows.

_And that was so many years ago  
And though I know I'll never get her out of my heart_

Draco leaned back in content. Merlin, Ginny was good. Maybe Seamus knew what he was talking about.

_She never loved me back  
Ooh I know_

He looked up as the bed shifted. She was gliding across the room on silent feet, gathering her things.

"All to eager to leave?" He mocked her gently.

_I remember how she left me on a stormy night  
She kissed me and got out of our bed_

She smiled at him then leaned over to deposit a wonderfully perfect kiss on his lips.

"Sorry, but I should get home before my brothers find me gone." She slipped into the clubbing dress she had been wearing, pulling her hair back in a very familiar way. Draco frowned as she slipped on her heels.

_And though I pleaded and I begged her not to walk out that door_

She leaned over the mirror, applying a pale burgundy lipstick. Suddenly Draco rolled over and sniffed deeply at her side of the bed. It smelled of cinnamon and chardonay. He looked at her as she slipped on her earrings. The same ones she had worn almost nine nights ago to his bed. She was his mysterious girl.

_She packed her bags and turned right away_

She smiled as he rose, coming shakily to her.

_And she kept on telling me_

"Malfoy, don't do anything you might regret." She whispered.

_She kept on telling me_

"Like what? I-"

_She kept on telling me_

"Don't finish." She whispered. "_I want you. I need you. But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you._" She kissed him softly. "_Now don't be sad 'cause two out of three ain't bad_."

Then once more she was gone.

_I want you  
I need you  
But there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you  
Now don't be sad  
cause two out of three ain't bad  
Dont be sad  
cause two out of three ain't bad_

"I got it!" Ginny called to her room mate, Hermione as she raced for the door. It was late and she wondered who it could be. She opened the door on the arrogantly handsome face of Draco Malfoy.

_Baby we can talk all night_

"Malfoy-" She began.

"Fuck it all, Weasley." He growled before kissing her. She returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hermione found them several hours later, wrapped in the afghan and each other, sleeping on the couch. Hermione sighed.

"We just bought that couch, Gin." She whispered in mock dispair. She turned and smiled. All her plans worked perfectly.

_But that ain't getting us nowhere_


	4. The Song Battle

The Song Battle

Songs: Girlfriend, Mickey, Save A Horse, Don't You Want Me?, Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad, All I Ask Of You, Love Me Do, Someday Lady, Someday My Prince Will Come, Pretty Girl, A Moment Like This.

Ships: Ginny/Draco, Pansy/Blaise, Harry/Luna, Neville/Hermione, Snape/Trelawney

Ginny Weasley watched the little slut cling to him. Something had to be done about Pansy Parkinson. Ginny and Draco actually got along well enough. But she didn't love him. Hell no. She just needed to save him from Pansy.

Not that she wanted him for herself. Again, no. She was doing this for him.

She waited patiently til they were in study hall that night. Blaise Zabini, her partner, was making random lewd suggestions as they were supposed to be studying. Ginny batted them away as Professor Trelawney burst into the room. Ginny had used Divination to her advantage and predicted that today the Professor's beloved would return her affection. Everyone and their mother knew Trelawney had the hots for Snape.

The Divination professor whispered something in Snape's ear. He frowned. Reluctantly, he turned to Hermione who was Head Girl this year. He said something and Hermione nodded. She peeked out. As soon as both teachers were gone, she turned and gave Ginny the heads up. Hermione loved a good plan. Especially when there was a chance to get people together. Ginny didn't know it yet, but she wasn't getting out of study hall without serious osculation.

Ginny nodded to Blaise who was in on the plan as well. He nodded back. Ginny scrambled onto the table.

"Excuse me, I have an announcement to make," she crowed, meeting Draco's eyes.

She pointed to Draco and began to sing.

"Hey hey! You you!

I don't like your girlfriend!"

She leapt over the gap in the tables, landing easily on his as Blaise looked up her skirt. Ron, who noticed this, smacked him in the head.

"No way, no way!  
Think you need a new one!"

She strutted down the table, relishing the half grin on Draco's pale, aristocratic face.

"Hey hey, you, you!

I could be your girlfriend!"

She reached a hand to him. He grinned and stepped onto the table beside her. Pansy scrambled up as well and started singing herself.

"Hey, Dracky you're so fine!

You're so fine, You blow my mind!"

Pansy took his hand, drawing him away from Ginny. She shot the younger girl a look.

"Hey, Dracky what a pity you don't understand!

You take me by the heart when you take me by the hand!"

She pulled his hand to her ample bosom. If Draco had been a breast kind of guy, he would have been hers right there. Fortunately for our heroine, he was a leg boy. And Ginny could snap a man's neck with hers.

Ginny narrowed her eyes, gently pushing between them before turning to face Draco again.

"So I'll saddle up my horse,

And I'll ride into the city,"

She pressed a hand to his chest, pushing him away from Pansy.

"I'll make a lot of noise,

Cause the boys are so pretty,

Ridin' up and down Broadway,

In a big station wagon, sayin'"

She she grabbed his tie and pulled him close, "Save a horse, Ride a Weasley."

Draco couldn't resist a laugh at that. Pansy wormed her way between them again.

"Don't, Don't you want me?"

She lifted her breasts with her hands and all the men in the room could see she was the real deal.

"You know I don't believe you when you say that you won't call me!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. Before she had a chance, Blaise stepped onto the table, grabbing her wrist and spinning her into an embrace.

"I want you,

I need you," he smirked at the redhead then at Draco who was seething. Pansy was also looking ready for a good stoning.

"But there ain't no way,

I'm ever gonna love you," He let her go.

Stepping around her, he continued to Pansy.

"Now don't be sad,

Cause Two out of three ain't bad."

Pansy was a few shades pinker than she had been and Blaise was dangerously close.

"Say you'll share with me,

One love, one lifetime," she began as he got closer still.

"Love me, that's all I ask of you."

"So, please, love me do." Blaise returned, kissing her.

Harry decided to take advantage of this opportunity. He jumped to the table and pointed to Luna.

"Some day Lady, you'll accompany me!

Where the rivers meet the sky and sea!"

Luna clapped her hands in delight, drawing him down to her.

"Some day, My prince will come!" SHe sang before kissing him too.

Neville was whispering something into Hermione's ear. The Head Girl blushed, but promptly tackled him, their lips meeting.

Draco looked at Ginny across the table.

"Pretty girl is suffering." He sang moving towards her.

"While he confesses everything," She continued.

"Pretty soon, she'll figure out,"

"What his intentions were about."

Draco stepped over Pansy and Blaise who were on the table, making out.

"And that's what you get for falling again," She began.

"You can never get me out of your head." he finished.

She laughed. "You always were conceited."

"I know. But you love me, right?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Some people wait a lifetime for a moment, like this."

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE???!!!!!!"

Ginny and Draco turned to see Professor Snape, looking harried with what looked like coral blue number two lip gloss on his cheek, burst into the room.

Ginny opened her mouth but Draco claimed it as Professor Trelawney tackled Snape.

And that's what they got for falling in love.

By the way, Ron's in the corner making out with Daphne Greengrass, just so you know.

(A/N: Osculation means kissing. The things I learn from Hercules. And I stole Coral Blue Number 2 lipgloss from Spongebob Squarepants.


	5. Don't Stand So Close To Me

You will notice the rating for this fic has changed to M. I wonder why.

To thepersonunderurbed: Who wanted a Hermione/Remus fic.

Don't Stand So Close To Me

Hermione/Remus

Time: Seventh Year.

Hermione couldn't help herself. He was very good looking. Any girl would be a fool not to like him at least a little. The only problem... well there were a few.

_Young Teacher_

First he was a teacher. A ruggedly attractive teacher who was willing to stand up for Harry. But a teacher none the less.

The second problem was he was old enough to be her father.

So why the hell was she having day dreams about him? Merlin, she felt like those insipid girls in Indiana Jones movies. Just cause Harrison Ford was devine as a younger man, meant nothing. So it should mean nothing that Remus Lupin was perfectly attractive.

_The subject_

_Of School girl fantasy_

But she kept having these stupid day dreams. After she had her homework done, she would sit in the library, wondering what it was like to be a Lycanthrope. Or better still, what it was like to kiss one, to touch one, to-

She cut that thought off. No, not going there.

_She wants him _

_So badly_

Hermione knew exactly what she wanted out of life. She wanted a good strong man who could take care of her, but who knew there were certain things she had to do herself. Apparently none of those exsisted.

She told herself over and over that this wasn't real. She didn't really feel this way. It didn't help.

_Knows what she wants to be_

She knew that every body crushed on someone at one point or another. So why was she crushing on him? Of all the people, he was the worst.

Well, perhaps not the worst. Angelina Johnson had a crush the size of Texas on Professor Snape and Ginny was strangely fascinated with Draco Malfoy.

But it was still pretty damn bad.

_Inside her_

_There's Longing_

Hermione scribbled in her notebook as Snape prowled about the room, glancing at the git every so often. The war was finally over and the man turned out to be good after all. Go figure. She looked at her lab partner, Ginny. Ginny was an utter genius when it came to Potions. Due to the aforementioned fascination with a blonde git, she had jumped at the chance to take an upper level Potion. Draco was blissfully ignorant.

_This girl's an open page_

Snape slapped the table before Ginny, who was staring intently at the back of Malfoy's head.

"Miss Weasley, care to tell us what is soo fascinating?"

She grinned cheekily at him. "Just wondering how Mr. Malfoy would look without any clothes on."

Malfoy snapped his head around to regard her. She winked saucily at him.

_Book markin' _

_She's so close now_

Hermione managed somehow to make it to her Defense Against the Dark Arts. Malfoy watched them go, but said nothing to Ginny.

Hermione tried hard to focus on her school work. She only had a few more days of classes left. Surely she could make it.

_This girl is half his age!_

Then came the treacherous moment when Professor Lupin asked her a question. She looked up at him. Her palms were sweaty and she knew it would take a miracle to get out of this without using her sex voice.

_Don't stand_

_Don't stand so._

_Don't stand so close to me._

His eyes meet hers and the world seemed to disolve into nothing. She knew she had to have him. Somehow she managed to stutter out the answer and he smiled that blessed smile at her.

_Don't stand_

_Don't stand so._

_Don't stand so close to me._

"Damn, I'm jealous."

Hermione swung her head around to look at Parvati. "What?"

"You always know the answers don't you?"

_Her friends are so jealous_

Hermione gave a laugh. "Yeah, just in my genes."

_You know how bad girls get_

_Sometimes it's not so easy_

_To be the teacher's pet._

Hermione stayed after. Fuck it all, she thought. "Professor?"

He smiled at her. "Hermione."

"Do... do you have anything else today?"

He glanced at his papers. "Not really. I was going to meet Tonks and Charlie for lunch. But I can put it off."

_Temptation, Frustration_

_So bad it makes him cry_

"Oh, well..."

"Oh, don't worry. They're so into each other they couldn't care less. Now, what did you want?"

Hermione looked deep into his eyes. Fuck it all, she thought.

She leaned forward and kissed him.

_Wet bus stop_

_She's waiting_

He was surprised momentarily but then his hands came up to her waist, lingering there decently. Hermione, sex drive in overhaul, growled and pressed herself hard to his chest. Well, it would have been his chest, but her books got in the way. She threw them onto the nearest desk.

_His car is warm and dry._

Remus lifted one hand to her shoulder then let it trail down to her shoulder. He followed the line of her breasts as they kissed. Hermione let him, running her own hand down his side to his hip. He broke the kiss momentarily to send a silencing charm and a locking charm at the door.

_Don't stand_

_Don't stand so._

_Don't stand so close to me._

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs about his waist. He grabbed her legs, managing a semi naughty spot this time and kept her aloft. Hermione released the kiss and set her mouth to the task of his undoing his buttons. He pulled the hairthing from her hair, letting the waves carress her robe clad shoulders. She shrugged off her robe and kissed him again.

_Don't stand_

_Don't stand so._

_Don't stand so close to me._

He leaned in to let her continue work on his buttons as he kissed her face and hair. She pulled his shirt tails out of his jeans and he shed the shirt. He was beginning to get the hang of this and he kissed her neck as he undid her shirt. She squirmed out of it and began kissing his chest as he kicked off his shoes.

_Loose talk in the class room_

_To hurt they try and try_

She followed suit, still kissing frantically. He gently lifted her skirt, as though asking for permission. Hermione pulled back momentarily and whispered a spell before tapping him with her wand. He cocked his head at her.

"Contraception." She breathed.

He smiled, "What a clever witch you are." Then he hooked his thumb under her underwear. She moaned and helped him out of his belt.

_Strong words in the staffroom_

_The accusations fly_

She fell back, landing on her back on a nearby table. He pulled off her underwear, sliding a finger into her as she kissed him. She moaned again as he gently rubbed the right place. She bucked her hips at him, demanding he finish the job. He grinned and pulled down his pants. He sent the underwear down to reside around his ankles as well, entering her.

_It's no use_

_He sees her_

Hermione gasped at the feeling. He started to pull out, but she wrapped her legs about him and pulled him down into a kiss. He smiled into her lips and shoved into her. She gasped again, a dizzying mix of pleasure and pain as he rocked in and out of her.

_He starts to shake and cough_

She cried out as he thrust over and over. She could tell she was coming and she knew it was going to be just perfect. He thrust again, long and hard. She quivered, mouth open in a silent scream of pleasure as she broke in waves of estacy.

_Just like_

_The old man in_

_That book by Nabacov!_

Remus lay still on her. Her skirt was up around her stomach and his jeans and undies were down around his ankle. He pulled back and out of her. She lay there, letting him leave.

"Was this... a mistake?" he asked. "You're a student."

Hermione looked at him with a flush over her cheeks. "It's only a mistake if it's once."

She sat up and reached behind her. A moment later, her bra fell to the floor, revealing two perfect size C breasts.

Remus leaned forward and kissed each one before kicking off his jeans. He'd always wanted to do it on every desk in the classroom.

_Don't stand_

_Don't stand so._

_Don't stand so close to me._

It was nearing suppertime when a very calm, very relaxed looking Hermione Granger and Remus Lupin left the room. As they held hands, making their way to the Great Hall, they were entirely unphazed by the image of Draco Malfoy slinging Ginny Weasley over his shoulder and carting her off to his Slytherin Lair. Or the image of Angelina Johnson trying to eat Professor Snape's robe with him still in it. Or the image of Ron and Luna sitting on a balcony and talking about using Nargles in Quidditch.

Senoritis had hit hard.

_Don't stand_

_Don't stand so._

_Don't stand so close to me._

(A/N: I warned ya!


	6. I Can't Stand Losing You

I Can't Stand Losing You

The Police

Ginny/Oliver

For Jules!

Oliver buried his head in his hands as he listened again to the message on Katie's answering machine. It was his third time calling today and the sixth in the past three days. Maybe he just had to accept that it was over between them.

_I've called you so many times today_

Angelina paused on her way to the pitch. "Are you still trying her? Oliver, You might have to let it go. I mean she did say she never wants to see you... again."

Oliver winced at the reminder as Ginny Weasley poked her head in. "Yo, you ready yet? We only have a few more hours of daylight left."

Oliver got up to follow the bright redhead. Over the past week Ginny had seemed more like the captain of the Harpies, running them all til nightfall. Oliver was partially grateful. When he got home he had no energy to think about Katie and their break up.

_And I guess it's all true what your girl-friends say_

Oliver had thought he might be able to go all the way with Katie. He really liked her and he thought it was mutual. As he darted around, racing Ginny for the snitch, he thought about where they could possibly have gone wrong.

_That you don't ever want to see me again_

He thought they had been getting on so well. But the moment he suggested taking her to see his parents, she flipped and stopped talking to him. It was hard to know what he had done wrong, when she wouldn't tell him.

_And your brother's gonna kill me and he's six feet ten_

He laughed as Ginny performed an antic worthy of her twin brothers. Ginny was a great girl and he was glad she was back working with him. Still, he couldn't fully get Katie out of his mind.

_I guess you'd call it cowardice_

He wasn't fully paying attention, which was how it happened. The bludger hit him in the side, knocking him from his broom. He heard Ginny scream his name but he knew she was too far away to really help him.

_But I'm not prepared to go on like this_

Even as he plummetted to his death, Oliver had to wonder if this wasn't best. No life, no more pain.

He gasped as a hand wrapped around his wrist and he was pulled to a jarring halt. He looked up. Ginny Weasley, looking like she was about to kill him herself, held his arm. Her other hand came down and took his shirt, hoisting him bodily across her broom before taking him down for a landing.

_I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing you  
I can't stand losing you  
I can't stand losing you  
I can't stand losing you_

Oliver stumbled into his apartment. After a throuough berating from Ginny, he had decided. He would kill himself tonight.

_I see you sent my letters back_

There was a box on his kitchen table with all of his stuff from Katie's, including her key to his apartment. He regarded it. Part of him told himself that he should unpack it first but he left it alone. It was only delaying the inevitable.

_And my L.P. records and they're all scratched_

He went into the kitchen and wrote a hasty note on the whiteboard there. Then he opened the window.

_I can't see the point in another day  
When nobody listens to a word I say_

He had decided to jump from the window. He was on the fourth floor and it was hard to survive a fall like that.

_You can call it lack of confidence  
But to carry on living doesn't make no sense_

"So you're actually going through with it."

Oliver turned as he sat on the ledge to see Ginny Weasley sitting beside him.

_I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing_

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"You pansy."

Oliver looked at her in shock. She was swinging her legs. Her long legs, he noticed. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

I guess this is our last goodbye

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you're supposed to insult suicidal people."

Ginny smiled at him. "You're probably right. But you're not suicidal. You've already made up your mind so you're a fatalist. You don't see anything else to live for." She looked away. "Frankly why should you? There's nothing here worth it."

_And you don't care, so I won't cry_

"Hey! I'm the suicidal one here!"

"You think you have a monopoly on it? You think you own all the break a heart can get? You think you're the only one who's ever been hurt?"

"Speaking from experience?" He asked softly.

_But you'll be sorry when I'm dead  
And all this guilt will be on your head_

She looked away. "Have you wondered why I've been such a bitch this past week? Harry broke up with me."

Oliver winced, "God, Gin, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She looked over at him and smiled. "Have dinner with me. I have left overs, but they're still good."

Oliver smiled back. "I'd like that. But you know... you don't have to wait til I'm about to kill myself to ask me for dinner."

She blushed. "Thanks."

_I guess you'd call it suicide  
But I'm too full to swallow my pride  
I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing  
I can't, I can't...  
_


	7. It's All Coming Back To Me Now

It's All Coming Back To Me Now

Ginny/Draco

For this fic, Draco's song/words are bold, Ginny's are in italics and both of them are in both.

Part one of Two

**There were nights when the wind was so cold  
That my body froze in bed if I just listened to it right outside the window**

Draco touched the window pane, watching his reflection dance across it as the snow fell silently below. There was nothing he wanted less then to go to this stupid masked ball but he was one of the cheif contributers and it would be rude not to show.

He tied on his mask and left his room.

_There were days when the sun was so cruel  
That all the tears turned to dust and I just knew my eyes were drying up forever_

Ginny watched with a feeling of detachment as her hand shook as it reached for her mask. She knew why she was screaming inside. Tonight, whether she wanted it or not, she would see him. She had no desire to see him ever again, but she knew it had to be done. She took her mask and tied it on.

_**I finished crying in the instant that you left  
And I can't remember where or when or how  
And I banished every memory you and I have ever made**_

Ginny stepped onto the dance floor, knowing even as she lifted her hand, who her dance partner was. Her palm met his even as her hazel brown eyes met his greyish green ones.  
**  
But when you touch me like this **

_Touch me like this..._

Draco made his way through the motions, his eyes never leaving Ginny's. There was so much he wanted to say to her... but how could he make her listen?

**And you hold me like that **

_Hold me like that..._

Ginny let Draco pull her close to him as the music slowed for a quieter song. His hand felt perfect against her lower back and her breasts brushed against his chest, causing her breath to quicken.

**I just have to admit that it's **_**all coming back to me**_

She remembered the last time he held her this way. She remembered why she left him.

**When I touch you like this**

_Touch you like this..._

He remembered kissing her gently, laughing through the summers with her. He remembered the night she left him.

**And I hold you like that**

_Hold you like that..._

The song ended but Draco still held Ginny.

**It's so hard to believe but it's **_**all coming back to me now**_

"Stop." She whispered as he lowered his head to kiss her.

_It's all coming back  
It's all coming back to me now_

Draco obliged reluctantly. He took her hand and led her out of the party and onto the small balcony there.

**There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light**

"What happened to us, Ginny? Where did we go wrong?" He asked her, pulling her into his arms.

**There were things I'd never do again but then they'd always seemed right**

Ginny stood there in his embrace for a few minutes, trying to fight off just how right his arms felt around her.

**There were nights of endless pleasure  
It was more than any laws allow-baby, baby!**

"We can't do this, Draco."

He kissed her neck, trying not to listen to what his heart was telling him. She had broken his heart but he would fix it and let her break it again if she only let him have this moment.

**If I kiss you like this**

_Kiss you like this..._

"Draco, please, don't make this any harder than it already is." She cried out as he buried his nose in her neck.

**And if you whisper like that**

_Whisper like that..._

"Please, Ginny, just let me have this one night."

**It was lost long ago but it's all coming back to me**

It was so tempting. To let it all become the mere past and to forget everything he had done to her. But he broke her heart and she couldn't let that be. If he would only admit it...  
**  
If you want me like this **

_If you want me like this..._

"Will you say it?" She whispered to him.

**And if you need me like that**

_If you need me like that..._

He pulled back and looked at her. Ginny felt herself ready to cry but she held it in as best she could.

**It was dead long ago but it's all coming back to me**

"Say what, Ginny?"

_**It's so hard to resist and it's all coming back to me  
I can barely recall, but it's all coming back to me now...**_

She met his eyes. "Will you please just tell me the truth. Tell me... to my face that you cheated on me."

Draco dropped his hands from her arms and stared at her.

_**But you were history with the slamming of the door**_

Ginny bit her lip. She knew she was just setting herself up for heart ache but she didn't care. She needed to hear it. If he would just tell her...

_**And I made myself so strong again somehow  
And I never wasted any of my time on you since then!**_

Draco opened his mouth then closed it again. Ginny pressed her advantage.

"Please, Draco! We can go back to how we were. I love you." Her voice broke but she forced herself on. "I can forgive you anything. Just... please ask for it."

**But if I touch you like this**

_Touch you like this..._

Draco grabbed her harshly and pulled her into a fierce kiss.

**And if you kiss me like that**

_Kiss me like that..._

Ginny melted into the kiss, letting him, her arms coming to hold him to her.

**It was so long ago but it's all coming back to me**

Draco suddenly broke the kiss, leaving them both breathless.

**If you touch me like this **

_Touch me like this..._

**And if I kiss you like that **

_Kiss you like that..._

_**It was gone with the wind but it's all coming back to me now**_

"I can't lie, Ginny. I didn't cheat on you."

_It's all coming back  
It's all coming back to me now_

Ginny stared up at him then tore away, running through the ball room and out of the building.

**There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light  
There were things we'd never do again but they'd always seemed right  
There were nights of endless pleasure  
It was more than all your laws allow-baby, baby, baby!**

Draco sat on the balcony, the cold snow finding its way down the collar of his armani suit and into his perfect hair. "I didn't cheat on you, Ginny. And you know it." He whispered to the night air.

**When you touch me like this**

_Touch me like this..._

**And when you hold me like that **

_Hold me like that..._

_**It was gone with the wind but it's all coming back to me**_

Ginny ran til she reached her car and fmubled the door open. She sat down, pulling her key from her pocket. Then she bent over the wheel of the car, sobbing.

**When you see me like this **

_See me like this..._

**And when I see you like that **

_See you like that..._

_**Then we see what we want to see-all coming back to me**_

"Damn it Draco." She muttered. "I know what I saw. So why does it feel like you aren't lying?"  
_**  
The flesh and the fantasies-all coming back to me  
I can barley recall, but it's all coming back to me now...**_  
**  
If you forgive me all this **

_Forgive me all this..._

Draco watched her lights disappear into the distance.

**If I forgive you all that **

_Forgive you all that..._

"I still love you, Ginny."

_**We forgive and forget and it's all coming back to me now**_

_It's all coming back to me now_  
**We forgive and forget**

_**And it's all coming back to me now...**_

(A/N: Do NOT panic people! The second half of this fic will be up sometime in the next few days.


	8. I Would Do Anything For Love

(A/N: Once again, bold is Draco and italics is Ginny. Sequel to last week's chapter. Happy Halloween!)

Ginny stared out over the lawn, watching the setting sun catch on the snow piled there. She knew she should go in but the cold air on her felt so nice. It was nice to have something so... real.

**And I would do anything for love, I'd run right into hell and back  
I would do anything for love, I'll never lie to you and that's a fact**

She missed him. She didn't want to miss him, but she did. She had managed to forget everything he meant to her, but seeing him had brought everything back into horrible focus.

**But I'll never forget the way you feel right now, oh no, no way**

She loved him. But she had to leave him. Right? He had cheated on her. And nothing in the world could make that go away. Yet she wanted him so badly. If he would just say it to her.

**And I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, I won't do that  
Anything for love, oh I would do anything for love  
I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, oh I won't do that**

Why would he do that to me? Why would he lie? I love him. I would do anything for him. I would do anything...

**Some days it don't come easy, and some days it don't come hard  
Some days it don't come at all, and these are the days that never end**

Ginny glanced back as Rissa, her best friend, came onto the veranda where she stood. Ginny had grown rich since her school days. A few good ideas that she sold to various companies and she was pretty well set. But money can't buy love and it can't keep the man you want.

**Some nights you're breathing fire, and some nights you're carved in ice  
Some nights you're like nothing I've ever seen before or will again**

"Hey, Riss."

"Hey, Gin. Your brothers are worried about you. They haven't seen you since that party."

Ginny looked away, out into the cold night. "I'll call them tomorrow." She promised hallowly.

**Maybe I'm crazy, but it's crazy and it's true  
I know you can save me, no one else can save me now but you**

"Ginny, I'm worried about you. You haven't been the same since that party. What happened?"

**As long as the planets are turning, as long as the stars are burning  
As long as your dreams are coming true, you better believe it**

"I saw Draco."

**That I would do anything for love, and I'll be there til the final act  
I would do anything for love, and I'll take a vow and seal a pact**

Ginny continued to stare out over the lawn of her beautiful house. She hated it all. What was the use of her own house if she didn't have him by her side.

"Ginny, it was for the best."

"So everyone keeps telling me. But I don't care! Even if he cheated on me, I don't care."

**But I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight  
And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love  
Oh I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no I won't do that**

"He didn't cheat on you."

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that**

Ginny turned to stare at Rissa. The other girl smiled.

"He wasn't right for you, Gin, I had to make you hate him some how."

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that**

"You fucking bitch..." Ginny muttered before pulling out her wand. Even as she proceeded to hex Rissa to an inch of her life, one thought resounded in her mind. Draco didn't cheat on me.

**Some days I pray for silence, and somedays I pray for soul  
Some days I just pray to the God of Sex and Drums and Rock 'N Roll  
Some nights I lose the feeling, and some nights I lose control  
Some nights I just lose it all when I watch you dance and the thunder rolls**

Draco watched the sun set on another perfect winters day. He needed her back. But how the hell would he convince her he hadn't cheated on her.

**Maybe I'm lonely and that's all I'm qualified to be  
There's just one and only, the one and only promise I can keep**

He wanted her so badly. She was his everything and she was everything he needed. He knew he should be there, badgering her until she agreed to come home with him. He smiled. That's how he convinced her to come with him in the first place.

**As long as the wheels are turning, as long as the fires are burning  
As long as your prayers are coming true, you better believe it**

But she thought he cheated on her. God, didn't she know any better? He would never do that. ever. He loved her.

**That I would do anything for love, and you know it's true and that's a fact  
I would do anything for love, and there'll never be no turning back**

Maybe that was what was wrong. Maybe she didn't think he loved her any more. But she had to know. Didn't she?

**But I'll never do it better than I do it with you, so long, so long  
And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love  
I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no no no I won't do that**

She was everything. She was all he ever needed.

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that...**

Draco turned at a noise behind him.

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that...**

Ginny stood in his door way.

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that...**

She wore a coat over her jeans, clutching it at the neck, her wand and the set of keys he had given her long ago in the other hand.

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that...**

Draco stepped hesitantly towards her.

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that...**

She let him come, let him touch her. She let go of her jacket collar as he touched her face and he saw she was only wearing a bra under it with her jeans.

**I would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of  
But I just won't do that...**

"Jesus, Ginn! What-"

**But I'll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life, no way**

Ginny didn't let him finish. Her arms were around his neck and she was kissing him before he knew it.

**And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love  
I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no I won't do that**

Draco took her, kissing back fiercely. She pulled back.

"Let's get you a shirt," he whispered.

"Draco?"

He turned to her. She stepped out of her jacket and touched his cheek.

"You didn't cheat on me."

_Will you raise me up, will you help me down?  
Will you get me right out of this Godforsaken town?  
Will you make it all a little less cold?_

Draco turned back to her fully, touching her gently.

"No."

**I can do that! I can do that!**

"You didn't cheat on me?" She repeated, tears glistening in her eyes.

He laughed, softly, lovingly. "No."

_Will you hold me sacred? Will you hold me tight?  
Can you colorize my life, I'm so sick of black and white?  
Can you make it all a little less old?_

Ginny buried her head in her hands. "Oh, God, I didn't believe you."

He took her again. "You wanted to?"

**I can do that! Oh oh, now I can do that!**

"Yes, more than anything."

_Will you make me some magic, with your own two hands?  
Can you build an emerald city with these grains of sand?  
Can you give me something I can take home?_

He kissed her again. "Then what else matters? I love you. You love me. I would do anything for you, Ginny."

** I can do that! Oh oh now, I can do that!**

She sighed and leaned against him. "I know that now."

_Will you cater to every fantasy I got?  
Will ya hose me down with holy water, if I get too hot?  
Will you take me places I've never known?_

He frowned. "But... uh... why don't you have a shirt on?"

**I can do that! Oh oh now, I can do that!**

Ginny laughed, "I kind of kicked some ass."

_After a while you'll forget everything  
It was a brief interlude and a midsummer night's fling  
And you'll see that it's time to move on_

Draco shook his head. "I don't want to know. Marry me, Ginny."

**I won't do that! No I won't do that!**

Ginny looked up at him, touching his cheek. "I can do that."

_I know the territory, I've been around  
It'll all turn to dust and we'll all fall down  
And sooner or later, you'll be screwing around_

**I won't do that! No I won't do that!**

**Anything for love, oh I would do anything for love  
I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no I won't do that**

(A/N: Well, there you all have it! Hope you all liked it!


	9. Last Christmas

**"Last Christmas"**

Ginny/Draco

Ginny tripped gracefully, hitting the ground laughing. Luna followed suit, not entirely certain why she was laughing, but she was used to that around Ginny.

Luna glanced up from their romp in the snow as a a shadow fell over them.

"Oh, Hi Harry!"

_Last Christmas  
I gave you my heart_

Ginny glanced up sharply to see Harry Potter standing a few yards away. He was wearing his Auror robes and his old school scarf. He looked handsome but Ginny's jaw went tight.

Forget about it, she thought and put on a smile. Either she missed or else Harry knew her too well, for a flash of pain crossed his face.

_But the very next day, you gave it away_

"Hi, Harry." Ginny replied, injecting as much sweetness into her voice, to cover the bitter venom that was there, as she could.

_This year  
To save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special_

"Hi, Ginny, Luna."

"What brings you out here?" Ginny asked, trying to sound casual. She had a damn good idea and she wanted nothing to do with it. He could find his own damn date to Neville's party.

_Once bitten and twice shy  
I keep my distance_

"Well... I needed to ask you-" he began but was cut off by the sounds of Luna's cell phone. Luna and Ginny had updated with the phones when they took over the Quibbler.

Luna answered it, her face lighting up as she did so. She put her hand over the mouth piece and said, "It's Neville."

Ginny smiled as her friend frolicked off to talk to her boyfriend. Luna and Neville had been going steady since just before the war. Theirs was one of the few relationships that had survived.

_But you still catch my eye  
Tell me baby  
Do you recognize me?_

Ginny stood up, intent on getting away from Harry before he remembered why he had come here.

"Ginny," He began, grabbing her arm as she tried to get past him.

_Well  
It's been a year  
It doesn't surprise me_

She wretched her arm from his grasp, glaring at him. "Go to hell."

"Ginny, come on! I just need a date to Neville's party."

"It's never just, Harry, and you know that!" She hissed, walking away.

_Merry Christmas,  
I wrapped it up and sent it  
With a note saying "I love you"  
and meant it_

"Come on, Ginny," He repeated, grabbing her arm and turning her towards him again. She refused to meet his eyes.

"What about Hermione? Why don't you ask her?" It was a low blow and Harry winced. Ginny didn't care. She couldn't do it all over again.

"She's out of town."

Ginny's eyes flashed and she glared at him. "Oh, so it's okay for you to fuck with me as long as precious Mione's out of town!"

"Ginny, Hermione told me to go on. But I don't want to go alone."

He leaned forward, as if to kiss her.

_Now I know what a fool I've been_

There was not a doubt in Ginny's mind what would happen if he kissed her. She would fall hopelessly for him once again and she would spend another year avoiding him and trying to convince herself she was okay without him.

_But if you kissed me now  
I know you'd fool me again_

Harry's lips were almost at hers when someone shoved him from behind. Ginny took this moment to step out of his grasp and they both turned to see Draco Malfoy. He looked perfect as usual and Ginny felt oddly grateful he was there.

_Last Christmas  
I gave you my heart_

"Spare us all the Public displays of affection, Potter." he drawled. "And aren't you chasing Granger's skirt now?"

Harry glared at him. "Shove off Malfoy," he turned back to Ginny. "Come on, Ginny. Go with me."

"No, Harry."

_But the very next day, you gave it away_

"Ginny," he began, leaning in again.

"No means no, Potter," Draco commented, yanking on Harry's robe so the Auror fell back into the snow.

Harry got up, glaring at Draco. "Fine. But who else are you going to go with, Ginny?"

_This year  
To save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special_

Ginny watched Harry huff off, his words echoing in her mind. Who else indeed. Everyone from school still thought she was Harry's gal even though he was pretty public with Hermione. It was just assumed she and Harry had picked right back up where they left off.

One of the Slytherins from school might be willing to piss off Harry and take her, but she doubted any of them would be willing to go with her period.

_Last Christmas  
I gave you my heart_

Ginny gasped as something cold and wet hit the back of her neck. She reached around to discover it was snow.

She spun around, looking for her assailant. Draco Malfoy was busy patting down another snow ball between his leather clad hands.

_But the very next day, you gave it away  
This year  
To save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special_

"What the hell was that for?" She demanded.

He met her eyes. "You were half way to self pity land. You needed someone to snap you out of it."

_A crowded room  
Friends with tired eyes_

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Like you care. If you must know, though, everyone thinks I'm still dating Harry and he isn't helping."

"What's the problem?"

"I can't get a boyfriend if people still think I'm with Harry. And I can't get over Harry if he keeps coming around like this."

_I'm hiding from you  
And your soul of ice_

"So go abroad. My dad once told me, there's more than one way to ski- no, wrong quote. There's plenty of fish in the sea."

"I can't leave the Quibbler."

"No one said that," he amended. "You can do a series of articles from abroad. Would be great publicity for your mag."

_Oh my I thought you were  
Someone to rely on  
Me?_

Ginny looked up at him. "Why are you doing this? Why help me?"

He shrugged. "I guess I don't mind helping a Gryffindor if it puts a wrench in Potter's plans."

Ginny scowled at him. "That isn't it, and we both know it."

_I guess I was a shoulder to cry on  
A friend to discover with a fire in her heart_

Draco met her eyes. "Maybe I just don't think a girl should be treated like that. Is that enough for you?"

Ginny stood there silently for a minute.

_A girl under cover but you tore me apart  
You tore me apart, ooo-oo_

"Or maybe that I don't like seeing pretty girls throw their lives away. Or because I don't like it when you cry."

Ginny bit her lip. It wasn't possible. She looked down then met his eyes again, smiling this time.

_Now I've found a real love you'll never fool me again_

"Thank you, Draco."

She walked over to him and went to her toes to kiss his cheek.

"I needed that."

_Last Christmas  
I gave you my heart  
But the very next day, you gave it away  
This year  
To save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special_

"Hey, Weasley," Draco called out as she walked away.

She looked back at him. "Yeah?"

"I don't have a date to Longbottom's party."

_Last Christmas  
I gave you my heart_

Inspite of herself, Ginny smiled. "What idiot would give you a date?" She shot back with a laugh.

He glowered at her as she walked away again. Then she stopped and turned to him again. "Hey, meet me outside his place at ten thrity. I assume you know the way."

_But the very next day, you gave it away  
This year  
To save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special_

(A/N: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finals are officially over for me so I thought I'd post! any way, updates will be stagnant from here to january 11th.


	10. Girlfriend

Girlfriend by Avril

Ginny/Draco

Ginny sighed disgustedly. Hermione glanced up at her best friend. "What's wrong?"

"Why is it that after three years I finally find a guy I might like, and he's taken?"

Hermione eyed her. "Let me guess...Malfoy?"

Ginny stared at her. "How did you know?"

Hermione ticked off on her fingers. "Not a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. Any of those you wouldn't care and you could still be friends. Leaves a Slytherin. Blaise has been giving you the eyes for about a year now and you don't really seem to care. Other than him, only Malfoy has gotten a girlfriend recently and I know you aren't interested in the ever gay Theo."

Ginny laughed. "Ever intuitive. So what should I do? I finally am ready to admit it."

Hermione glanced up as Luna Lovegood entered the small study room there were in. A decidedly evil look came over the usually docile Hermione.

Three days later.

Draco was seriously considering gnawing his own arm off to get rid of Pansy. What on earth had possessed him to agree to this stupid date. What was worse was, he was on the third consecutive one in three days. Really, he needed some will power.

He glanced up as the hushed voices grew louder. He was in the central hall where the balcony from the second floor hung over. Everyone was pointing up at the balcony. Draco let his gaze travel up there. He stared.

Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood were standing on the balcony. They were dressed in goth style looking punked out.

But that wasn't quite what everyone was staring at. On the railing of the balcony stood a tall girl. She was wearing a demure black mask and her long dark hair was free. She didn't look familiar but she had a great body. Like Hermione and Luna, she was decked out in pure punk, from fishnets and long black boots to a mini skirt and dark green tanktop.

She smiled down and for a moment Draco thought she was looking at him.

Then Luna and Hermione started singing.

_"_Hey! Hey! You! You!" They sang, pointing at Draco. Then the mystery woman started singing, walking along the balcony railing towards the stairs.

"I don't like your girlfriend!"

"No way! No way!"

Hermione and Luna chanted, following her.

"I think you need a new one," She had reached the stairs by now and slid down the railing, followed by Luna and Hermione.

"Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I could be your girlfriend"

She sauntered through the crowd until she was right in front of Draco.

"Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I know that you like me"

She tipped his chin back with her finger, leaning in temptingly.

"No way! No way!  
You know it's not a secret"

She pressed a finger to her lips as Pansy fumed.

"Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I want to be your girlfriend"

She pranced away, taking him with her as Hermione and Luna stopped Pansy.

_"_You're so fine  
I want you mine  
You're so delicious  
I think about ya all the time  
You're so addictive."

She licked her lips temptingly.

"Don't you know what I could do to make you feel alright?"

She stepped away, leading him as Pansy rushed over.

"Don't pretend I think you know I'm damn precious." She blew him a kiss, jumping up on the table there.

"And Hell Yeah  
I'm the motherfucking princess."

She was joined by Hermione and Luna and they danced.

"I can tell you like me too and you know I'm right."

Pansy marched over and grabbed Draco's arm, intent on pulling him away. The masked girl jumped down and shoved Pansy away, smiling at Draco.

"She's like so whatever  
And you could do so much better."

She bit her lip prettily.

"I think we should get together now  
And that's what everyone's talking about!"

Luna and Hermione jumped down, distracting the crowd with damn fine moves.

"Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I don't like your girlfriend!  
No way! No way!  
I think you need a new one  
Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I could be your girlfriend."

The girl leaned in and kissed him quickly.

"Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I know that you like me  
No way! No way!  
You know it's not a secret  
Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I want to be your girlfriend."

She darted away, taunting him by teasing the boys present.

"I can see the way, I see the way you look at me  
And even when you look away I know you think of me."

She glanced back at him. He smirked and walked over to her, taking her hand.

"I know you talk about me all the time again and again  
So come over here, tell me what I want to hear."

She glanced at the still fuming Pansy.

"Better yet make your girlfriend disappear  
I don't want to hear you say her name ever again  
(And again and again and again!)."

She waved a hand at Pansy.

"She's like so whatever  
And you could do so much better."

She pointed at her self with a smirk. He took her hand again, leading her around.

"I think we should get together now  
And that's what everyone's talking about!"

"Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I know that you like me  
No way! No way!  
You know it's not a secret  
Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I want to be your girlfriend."

She laughed and jumped onto the table. Not willing to let her go, he followed her. She twirled a strand of his hair around her finger.

"In a second you'll be wrapped around my finger."

She leaned in again.

"Cause I can, cause I can do it better  
There's no other  
So when's it gonna sink in?"

She laughed again and looked at Pansy.

"She's so stupid  
What the hell were you thinking?!"

She leaned in as her back up sang on. Suddenly she gasped. Pansy had untied her mask.

The mask fell gently to the table top. Draco stared as the glamor disappeared from Ginny Weasley's bright red hair. Her hands flew to her now scarlet cheeks.

Draco suddenly realized he didn't care.

"Hey, Hey, you you." He whispered.

She smiled. "I don't like your girlfriend."

He kissed her, to the uproarous applause. 

End.


	11. Centerfold

Centerfold

Ginny/Draco

Draco was writing in a diary. Oh, he would call it his journal or memoir but the fact was, it was a diary. It was a black leatherbound journal with gold lettering. Innoculous, pure.

In fact, the only curious thing about his journal was that it wasn't about him.

_Does she walk? Does she talk?  
Does she come complete?_

Draco Malfoy had a crush. Not just one of those simple, easy to ignore deals. No, he was signed, sealed, delivered, fallen. And with the worst possible person too.

The Journal carried every picture Draco could find and every thought that had ever come into his mind about Ginny Weasley.

_My homeroom homeroom angel  
Always pulled me from my seat_

Draco had liked Ginny since school. He couldn't tell her then. She was involved with Potter and he was a Slytherin. In recent years, he knew she had dumped Potter but had more or less disappeared since then.

_She was pure like snowflakes  
No one could ever stain_

Ginny was everything good that Draco wanted to remember from school. She wasn't perfect, but she was the only thing he ever wanted.

_The memory of my angel  
Could never cause me pain_

"DRACO!!!!"

Draco set his journal down, scowling whole heartedly at his roommate Blaise.

"What?"

Blaise grinned, oblivious to the damage Draco could inflict on him if he so chose. He waved a magazine that had a suspicious amount of pink on it.

"Guess what I have!"

_Years go by I'm lookin' through a girly magazine  
And there's my homeroom angel on the pages in-between_

Draco sighed. "I give up."

"Victoria Secrets! They just opened one here in London and they were giving out free mags!"

Draco rolled his eyes, "I'm a man. Men do not look at Victoria Secrets."

"They do if the centerfold is an old flame!"

_My blood runs cold  
My memory has just been sold_

Draco rolled his eyes again but obediently took the magazine from Blaise and flipped to the middle of it. His jaw promptly dropped.

_My angel is the centerfold  
Angel is the centerfold_

Staring at him coquettishly over one beautifully freckled shoulder, was Ginny Weasley. Her red hair was falling free over her back and left shoulder as she peered at the viewer over her right. She was wearing a pair of lacy black underwear cut boy shorts style and nothing else. Her arms appeared to be covering her chest, though he couldn't tell for sure.

_My blood runs cold  
My memory has just been sold_

"Told ya so."

Draco looked back at Blaise then back to Ginny. He hurriedly flipped through the magazine, locating another three pictures of Ginny. In one she was advertising a bra and the other two were for casual wear. In the bra one, she had both hands cupped over her bra-ed breasts, a playful smile on her face. The caption read: So light, it's like you're wearing nothing.

"Blaise?"

"Yeah, mate?"

"Fancy a road trip?"

_My angel is the centerfold  
Angel is the centerfold_

Ginny Weasley sat on the bench, gazing off into the distance as the shutter of the camera clicked again and again. Her mind wasn't on her work today for some reason. It wasn't that Ron had called her earlier to complain once again about his sister being the new Victoria Secrets girl. It wasn't that Harry wanted to get back together with her, which she knew was based around her being a centerfold.

She was having trouble focusing because her boss at Victoria Secrets had called a few minutes ago to tell her that some handsome young blonde man had been asking questions about her at the office.

Ginny knew only one guy who fit that description.

_Slipped me notes under the desk  
While I was thinkin' about her dress_

Ginny wasn't certain she ever wanted to see Draco again. On the one hand, she had liked him for ever, but it had been the same with Harry and she had just gotten her heart broken. Who's to say this wouldn't be the same? Still, part of her wanted to see him, wanted to know if something would happen, wanted something to happen.

_I was shy I turned away  
Before she caught my eye_

"Ginny!"

She looked up from her musing to see that the photo shoot was over. As usual, her body had taken the orders her mind was too preoccupied to process.

"Yeah?"

"We're done for today and you have a call," the photographist said, kissing the air by her cheek as he always did. That was the great thing about this business, Ginny mused. Almost everyone was gay.

_I was shakin' in my shoes  
Whenever she flashed those baby-blues_

Ginny pulled off the jacket she had been modelling for Kenneth Cole and walked over to the receptionist. "Phone call for me?"

The woman smiled at her and handed her the phone before punching a series of numbers, then went back to her nails.

"Ginny Weasley speaking." Ginny said into the phone, cradling it against her neck to take off the necklace the wardrobe department had given her for the shoot.

_Something had a hold on me  
When angel passed close by_

"The Ginny Weasley?" chuckled a soft achingly familiar voice. Ginny's hand tightened on the necklace in her hand as the other one flew up to clutch the phone.

"Long time, no hear, Malfoy."

_Those soft and fuzzy sweaters  
Too magical to touch_

The voice chuckled again and Ginny nearly fainted. The receptionist looked up at her with a mild concern but Ginny just waved her hand.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I have some things to tell you, but I don't think you'll believe me."

Too see her in that negligee  
Is really just too much

"Probably not, you always were a lying bastard."

Again the soft laugh and Ginny's hand flew down to grip the table top as if she were drowning and that was her lifeline.

_My blood runs cold  
My memory has just been sold_

"Meet me in Hyde Park. You'll find me."

Then he hung up, leaving Ginny almost gasping with anticipation.

_My angel is the centerfold  
Angel is the centerfold_

Ginny stood in Hyde Park, wondering where the hell Draco wanted her to meet him. It was chilly out and she was looking forward to a long night in a hot bath but the thought of maybe seeing Draco again, put that idea on ice, literally.

_My blood runs cold  
My memory has just been sold_

Ginny was about to leave when she noticed something on a tree nearby. It was a bright pink post-it. She walked over and looked at it. There was a single arrow drawn in sharpie. It pointed left.

_My angel is the centerfold  
Angel is the centerfold_

Ginny looked to her left. A few yards away, on another tree, was another pink post-it. Ginny couldn't help a smile.

_It's okay I understand  
This ain't no never-never land_

Ginny followed the notes, collecting them as she went. Finally she found her way to the Princess Diana memorial. A few yards away there was bench. On the bench sat a dozen pink roses and a small leather bound book.

_I hope that when this issue's gone  
I'll see you when your clothes are on_

Ginny smiled and sat down, taking the book in hand. On a pink post-it on the cover, were the words, Read Me.

Ginny obliged.

_Take you car, Yes we will  
We'll take your car and drive it_

At first Ginny didn't quite know what she was looking at. Then she figured it out. Her hands fluttered to her face as she read more and more. It was all about her. It was all beautiful and it was all by Draco.

_We'll take it to a motel room  
And take 'em off in private_

"Like it?"

Ginny turned to see Draco standing there, hands in his pockets.

_A part of me has just been ripped  
The pages from my mind are stripped_

"What is this?"

"I've been working on it for a few years now. It's how I feel about you."

Ginny looked back at the pages then back to him. "Really?"

He laughed. "Yeah, really."

_Oh no, I can't deny it  
Oh yea, I guess I gotta buy it!_

"So... what now?" Ginny asked, as he sat down.

He handed her the roses. "You take these and leave me your number. Get changed and I'll call you. Then we go out to dinner and see where that takes us."

Ginny took the roses. "How do I know you won't just leave me?"

He grinned. "Here's a down payment."

He leaned over and kissed her.

_My blood runs cold  
My memory has just been sold  
My angel is the centerfold  
Angel is the centerfold_

_My blood runs cold  
My memory has just been sold  
My angel is the centerfold  
Angel is the centerfold  
_

(A/N: HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! mwah! I love all of ya!


	12. Back In Your Head

Back In Your Head

Tegan and Sara

Hr/B

Hermione has finally found someone who likes books more than her. To Narcissa Raie, who introduced me to this awesome band!

* * *

Hermione Granger was not pleased. The entire not-pleased process began almost ten days ago and had been slowly building to the point she was ready to kill someone. Preferably her new boss.

Twelve weeks ago Draco Malfoy vied to buy off the library Hermione was working at. Five weeks ago, he informed her in person that he was going to win the battle. Four weeks ago he asked her to stay on as Aquisitions Librarian. Fourteen days ago Malfoy won the battle. Eleven days ago he reopened the library. And ten horrible days ago, he introduced her to her new boss.

_Build a wall of books between us in our bed_

Hermione had been secretly hoping that since Ginny was Malfoy's fiance, he would be biased and let Ginny take over as Head Librarian. It was not to be.

Blaise Zabini had been hired on as her new superior.

Hermione was reasonably certain she hated him.

_Repeat,_

She squared her shoulders, taking her sheet of books in one hand and knocked on his door.

Nothing.

Hermione gritted her teeth. Of course? Why should today be any different? The fucker ignored her all the time any way. The only people he seemed to pay any attention to were Draco, because he was his best friend and Ginny because Ginny didn't take no for an answer.

_Repeat the words that I know we both said_

Hermione knocked again, louder. From within there was a thud, an oath then finally a muttered "Come in."

Hermione pushed the door open, trying very hard to maintain her dignity as the devinely goregeous face of Blaise Zabini poked over the desk.

"Yes?" He drawled, managing to sound superior even though he was on his hands and knees for some reason.

Blaise's office looked like a library itself. Every book the library had aquired in the past few days was stacked around, waiting for Blaise to get done with it so it could go out on the regular shelves. Despite herself, Hermione felt comfortable here.

_Relax into the need_

She brandished the sheet at him. "You wanted to see this before I send August out."

He came up slightly, on his knees now, to lean over his desk as best he could. He squinted at the paper then took it from her hand. He regained his seat, setting the book he had been reading, _Eclipse_, on the desk.

"I did ask for this, didn't I?"

_We get so comfortable_

Hermione gritted her teeth. She loved books and all, but they had a job here. "Yes, now if that's all, I'll get back to the Interlibrary Loans, if you don't mind."

Blaise chuckled, not looking up from the paper. "Do you really hate me that much, Bright eyes?"

_Remember when I was so strange and likeable_

Hermione turned back to him. She hated to admit it, but she didn't hate him. He was smug, arrogant, childish and utterly brilliant, but she couldn't hate him.

"No. But I do wish you would put a little more effort into the patron's needs and not your own."

_I just want back in your head_

"Patron?" He laughed, a deep, sinfully wonderful laugh.

Hermione bristled, "Just what is so funny?"

"Only you could make them sound like we're a business."

"We are a business!" Hermione snapped.

_I just want back in your head_

Blaise got to his feet and stepped around the desk. "No, Bright eyes. We're a public service provided by my best friend. We're for the people. And the books."

Hermione fixed him with a level gaze, trying to decide if he was making fun of her. Finally she rolled her eyes. "And I thought I was bad with books."

_I'm not unfaithful  
But I'll stray_

Blaise grinned. Then without warning, he grabbed her arm, pulling her into a deeply passionate kiss.

Hermione could only stand there for the first few moments. Then something in her clicked and her arms were up, fingers weaving expertly into his hair. She was terrified in that moment but Blaise slipped his arms around her, and the fear faded.

_When I get a little scared_

He was everything in that moment. He lifted her off her feet, spinning her gently around to set her on his desk. Hermione let him, wrapping her legs around his waist.

_When I get a little scared_

Suddenly Blaise stopped, pulling back with a grin. "That's enough for now, Bright eyes."

Hermione, still breathless with desire, gasped, "What?"

_When I get a little_

"Let's not do anything we'd regret," He explained.

Hermione pulled further back from him, staring at him incredulously. "Are you saying you'd regret this?"

Blaise abruptly realized his mistake. His jaw fell open and he tried to speak but nothing came out.

_When I jerk away from holding hands with you_

Hermione did all the talking for him. She took the first book that her fingers found and threw it at him. It happened to be _Eclipse_, a hefty hardback of six hundred odd pages. It hit him in the chest. Blaise stumbled back, staring at his chest. It did no permenant damage, Hermione knew.

_I know these habits hurt important parts of you_

Blaise stared at his chest then his gaze went to her, then to the book then back to his chest. His gaze followed that route a few more times. Chest, her, book, chest, her, book, chest, her...

Hermione rolled her eyes and made to move past him. Blaise snaked an arm out to catch her around the waist. He pulled her back and into his chest.

_Remember when I was sweet and unexplainable_

"What the hell, Blaise?" She snarled.

He grinned down at her, safe in the cocoon of his arms.

_Nothing like this person, unlovable_

"What..." Hermione began again.

He shifted her in his arms, dipping her back into a truly heroic position. He hesitated then kissed her again.

_I just want back in your head_

"I'm not gonna fucking regret this, Bright eyes."

_I just want back in your head_

Hermione stretched languidly in Blaise's vast bed. Blaise was right, she didn't regret that. She wiggled around til she was on Blaise's chest, staring at him as he dozed. She couldn't help a smile. He was adorable.

_I'm not unfaithful  
But I'll stray_

"It's not going to work," she muttered into the silence. "You'll realize we aren't meant to be then you'll fire me or send me somewhere else. Then we'll be estranged. Ginny and Draco will get married and we'll have to see each other all the time and every time will remind us how much it hurt and how much we still want each other."

_When I get a little scared_

Hermione sighed and rested her head on his chest. "It won't work."

"If that's your attitude, you're right."

_When I get a little scared_

Hermione jumped and stared guiltily at Blaise. He smiled down at her.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, feeling guilty.

"Long enough to know you don't think we'll make it."

_When I get a little scared_

"It's just... God, Blaise! You have to admit it, we're not exactly a match made in heaven!"

"And Potter and Ginny were. Look how they turned out. Relationships don't just fall into perfection. You have to work for them. I like you, Bright eyes. And I really think we can make this work, but you have to be willing to put up with some stuff."

Hermione bit her lip. "I could lose all of my friends."

"Except Ginny," he pointed out.

_When I get a little_

Hermione laughed, "Ginny can't hate anyone. Not for long. What about you?"

"I don't have much. I have Draco, my job... and now you."

_Run, run, run_

Hermione smiled as he kissed her forehead. "Okay, I'll give us a chance."

_Run_

Blaise beamed, "You know Ginny and Draco are going to be thrilled about this."

"What? Us getting together?"

"Yeah. According to Draco, Ginny's been predicting it since she met the both of us."

_Run, run, run_

Hermione nodded, "Ginn's smart like that."

_Run_

"Here," Blaise said, suddenly. Hermione looked up to see him holding a thin book.

"What's this?" she asked.

"_Wicked Lovely, _you'll like it."

_I just want back in your head_

Hermione read the description, smiling at it. "Okay."

She hunkered down in his lap to read it.

_I just want back in your head_

After a few minutes, Hermione looked up from her book, not at all surprised to see Blaise was once again absorbed in _Eclipse_. She smiled.

_I'm not unfaithful  
But I'll stray_


	13. For the Last Time Draco, I'm Irish

For The Last Time Draco, I'm Irish.

DG

* * *

Ginny balanced her daughter on her hip and replied to Hermione through the phone. "No, I haven't decided when I'm coming back... I have a family, Mione... Of course I am coming back."

Draco, entering the kitchen of their spacious four bedrrom, two story house, raised an eyebow at Ginny as he pulled a beer and a bottle of formula from the refridgerator. Ginny wrapped up the converasation as Draco popped the formula in the mircowave.

"What's all this about not going back to work?" Draco asked curiously, taking Adaline from his wife of two years.

Ginny tossed back her long dark hair, quirking an eyebrow at him. "I've been thinking of taking off the next year," she replied, watching him for a reaction.

He took the bottle from the microwave and giving it to Addy.

"What ever you want, babe, but you may decide you want to go back."

Ginny stared at him, still trying to figure out his reaction. "You want me to go back?"

Draco put Addy in her high chair with the hot bottle. "Look, I want you do do what makes you happy."

The conversation might have ended there, but Draco just had to push his luck. "You are my little Scottish beauty."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him and pushed him, singing from the room.

"_I've had it up to here so let me make it very clear. Cause I swear I'll never clue you in again."_

Draco smirked but let his wife push him into the living room.

_"Every time that you profess I come from Scotland..."_ She trailed off, inviting him to finish it. He rose to the bait.

_"Yes?"_

_"For the last time Draco, I'm Irish!"_

_"Don't make a big to do, I was simply testing you,"_ Draco crooned, slipping an arm around her waist.

_"Then why'd you tell B.Z. our baby's Scot-French?"_ she sang, even as the BZ in question, Blaise Zabini, poked his head into the house.

"The door was open..." he began then stopped.

_"Babe, you know I know the truth,"_ Draco replied.

_"Well I need a little proof. So list all you know about me or no sex again."_

"Oh, snap!" Blaise muttered with a grin.

_"Ok, lets see. Your name is Ginny,"_ Draco sang, waltzing with her.

_"Oh, yes."_

_"You are a Weasley."_

_"Impressive,"_ Ginny returned, letting him draw her close.

_"You're a nurse, your mother's Muggle born, and wait..."_ Draco hesitated then grinned. _"I got it. Three brothers!"_

_"Draco!"_

_"Four Brothers? Well I'm sure you have another brother who's a huge jerk off,"_ Draco said, pointing to a picture of Ron.

_"Tell me, what's my middle name?"_

_"Ok, I'm tired of this game. Let's forget it, I give up, I guess you win again. But it's not just me who get mixed up by all this crazy ethnic stuff,"_ He said, letting go of her and stepping back.

_"Sorry, Even I know, she's Irish. Boo-ya!"_ Blaise chimed in. Draco shot him a look.

_"Did I grow up in London or was it Oxford? How long before we married was I in medicine? Was our wedding song the Beattles orLed Zeplin? Am I freakin Scottish or Irish?"_ Ginny sang, cornering her husband.

_"The thing is guys remember facts, like when Viktor Krum hit last year which was three-o-three,"_ Draco sang, wrapping his arms around her neck.

_"And that is why our brainsare maxed! And there's no room for things like birthdays or ethnicities."_

_"Well thank you for that glimpse into the workings of the inner man,"_ Ginny sang, stepping away and disengaging his arms.

_"Let's talk about your job, and not the fact that your-"_

_"Irish!"_ Ginny sang as he followed her into the kitchen again.

_"You're not staying home from work,"_ Draco insisted.

_"Will that make you happy?"_ She demanded.

_"I'll support you if you choose to earn the galleons,"_ He said, picking up their daughter.

_"Then I'll return to work today! Now you're sure that that's ok?"_ Ginny replied, leaning in.

_"I say ci which is yes in Irish... and Scottish!"_

Ginny laughed, kissing her husband. "I love you, Draco."

(A/N: Just some shameless fluff. I haven't had much time to update lately so I thought I'd give you something to keep you busy while I work on the next chapters. By the way, the song is actually "For the Last Time Turk, I'm Dominican" from the TV show Scrubs. you can watch it on Youtube.


	14. General Weasley

General Taylor

The Great Big Sea

Summary: Something unexpected happens at Fred's funeral. Post DH, pre epilogue.

Ginny wanted nothing to do with it. Not a damn thing. She wanted to skip the whole funeral. George was broken up enough about this as it was and it had been years ago that they made this silly plan.

But Molly had put her foot down. Fred would have liked it this way.

And as much as it pained Ginny and her brothers, she knew their mother was right. Fred would have wanted them all to carry him in this way, three on each side, carrying him to his grave. Ginny knew this absolutely. She knew, because she would have wanted the same thing herself.

Still, it made it no less hard. It was not helped that the Weasley family plot was a good quarter mile into the Wizarding Cemetery. Or that what looked like over a thousand people were lining that quarter mile.

Ginny had no doubt that Harry was in there. Harry, who hadn't accepted her offer to start up again. Harry, who seemed to see himself as Fred's murderer. Harry, who didn't love her anymore.

Neville would be there too, possibly with Hannah Abbot. Luna would be with them too. Everyone from the twins years and down would be there. Everyone excluding maybe a few of the Slytherins.

Ginny wondered if Malfoy would be there. He had been the biggest surprise of the war, stepping in at the last minute to kill his own aunt as she prepared to kill Ginny. Molly had exalted over the poor boy for days, thanking him over and over again. Ginny had never known Malfoy to blush so much as he did those days. Malfoy would have had to undergo a long trial but Molly would hear nothing of it and browbeat the entire Wizarding council into letting him off the hook.

Ginny now fidgeted in her pressed silk suit. She wasn't sure who had bought her the suit, it had merely appeared in her closet the night before. She was too drawn to question it.

She and George were leading the coffin, behind Molly and Arthur. George looked as solemn as Ginny had ever seen him in her life.

She glanced over at him. He looked back and Ginny tried not to flinch at the raw sorrow in his face.

She looked away and shifted her grip on the coffin's pole. Before her, Molly and Arthur began the slow walk.

It was quiet. The priest was silent and her parents shed silent tears. Ginny felt Fred would not have wanted it this way. Fred was so happy all the time. There should have been some singing, she thought.

She looked around and could see Ron, behind her, was thinking something much the same.

She cleared her throat, trying to bring up one of Fred's favorite songs.

"Well General Weasley gained the day..." she began. Her voice sounded sad even to her ears but George shot her an appreciative glance and she somehow mustered the courage to continue.

"Walk 'em along. Come, carry him along.

General Weasley gained the day."

This time George sang with her. "Carry him to his burying ground."

"Tell me way, you stormy," Ginny sang.

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along," Ron and Percy joined in from behind.

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground," All five of her brothers replied.

"We'll dig his grave with a silver spade," Ginny sang as Hermione ducked into formation, taking Ron's free hand.

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"His shroud of the finest silk will be made."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground," Fleur sang, adding her voice as she and their daughter joined Bill.

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

"We'll lower him down on a golden chain."

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"On every inch, we'll carve his name," Ginny continued. She could feel the tears ready now.

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

"General Weasley's all a-go."

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"He's gone where the stormy winds won't blow," Ginny sang, remembering fondly her brother's enthusiasm for everything, the fights in particular.

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

"General Weasley, he's dead and he's gone," Ginny sang, her voice breaking.

Several voices followed suit as they replied. "Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"Well, General Weasley, we wish he weren't gone."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

Ginny wasn't sure she could say the next line. A hand slipped into hers. She dared not look, for fear of who it might or might not be. A light tenor voice joined hers as she continued.

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Walk 'em along, come carry him along."

"Tell me way, you stormy."

"Carry him to his buryin' ground."

Their voices faded away on the final notes and they were before the grave. The hand released Ginny's and she raised her wand, helping the rest to lay her brother to rest. The priest began extolling Fred's life. Fleur turned her face into Bill and he held her. Ron and Hermione held each other. Percy and Charlie stood on either side of George, ready if needed.

Tears were streaming down Ginny's face now. A hand slid into hers and she stared down at it. It was the hand from earlier. She followed it up to Draco Malfoy's war hardened face. He stared down as her brother was lowered in.

"He helped me through a lot," Draco whispered. "I never even asked. I know he didn't like me but he just couldn't help himself."

Ginny squeezed his hand. "Fred never could. Thank you."

He gave her a wry smile. "For what?"

"For... being there. For helping me finish. Fred would have liked that."

Draco looked down at her hand and squeezed back. "I'm sure he would have."

(A/N: So, After All this Time got taken down. I know why, so I'm fixing that and I'll repost it tomorrow.


	15. If You Could Read My Mind

Title: If You Could Read My Mind...

Gordon Lightfoot

Summary: Ginny and Harry think on their relationship after they've broken up.

_If you could read my mind love_

Ginny turned from Harry swiftly, her dark red hair nearly hitting him in the face.

"Well I guess that's all there is to say, then isn't it?" Ginny asked quietly, crossing her arms over her chest.

_What a tale my thoughts could tell_

"Ginny, please know I don't want to hurt you."

Ginny glanced over her shoulder at him with a faint smile. "I know that Harry. Which is why we're both leaving."

_Just like an old time movie_

'_Bout a ghost from a wishin' well_

Ginny remained in her tableau as she listened to Harry's quiet indecision. Finally she heard the fall of his steps as he walked to the door. The creak of the door as he left.

_In a castle dark or a fortress strong_

She lowered her head to the table. Though determined not to cry she felt tears threaten. "Damn it!" she hissed.

_With chains upon my feet  
You know that ghost is me_

Harry had been seeing another woman. Ginny might have been devastated but she too had been seeing another. That relationship was doomed and she knew it.

_And I will never be set free_

She kept creating this doomed relationships, she realized.

_As long as I'm a ghost that you cant see_

There had been the minor crush on Tom and of course Sirius. Then Harry. Now she was in love with Draco Malfoy.

888

_If I could read your mind love  
What a tale your thoughts could tell_

Harry couldn't stop thinking about Daphne. It was pure misfortune that he didn't meet her until after he had already started dating Ginny. Daphne was chipper and sweet. She was everything Ginny would have been if not for Riddle.

_Just like a paperback novel_

Riddle hadn't exactly destroyed Ginny but he had not helped her. Harry had tried to overcome her pain and her damage but she was so hard and unyeilding some days.

_The kind that drugstores sell_

Harry entered his flat to the smell of cooking. He and Ginny had never really moved in together even though they had dated for almost two years, since he finished Auror school and she University.

_When you reach the part where the heartaches come  
The hero would be me_

He entered the kitchen and Daphne smiled at him from where she was grilling a pair of steaks. "Evening, handsome, how did it go?"

_But heroes often fail_

"Surprisingly well," he replied, coming in. "I feel sort of bad though."

_And you wont read that book again  
Because the endings just too hard to take_

She smiled at him before kissing him. "Don't. Ginny's a big girl."

888

_I'd walk- away like a movie star  
Who gets burned in a three way script_

Pansy glowered at Draco. "You're not listening to me."

"Yes I am, " Came his voice from behind the book he was working his way through. Another Shakespeare book, she noticed.

_Enter number two_

"Then what did I just say?"

_A movie queen to play the scene  
Of bringing all the good things out in me_

"That I should go cheat on you again."

_But for now love, lets be real_

Pansy snarled at him. "If you cheat on me I'll--"

"What, love?" he smiled at her over his book. "Leave me? Frankly that would be a blessing to us both, my dear."

_I never thought I could act this way_

"No, I'll-- wait, what do you mean, again?"

Draco affected innocence. "Oh, did I forget to tell you? How silly of me."

_And I've got to say that I just don't get it_

"Draco! You absolute snake! I'm going to fucking kill you!" She snarled, jumping to her feet and charging at him.

Draco stepsided. Pansy tottered but regained her footing. Draco rapped her sharply on the forehead. She fell, slightly stunned.

"Now look, Pansy. We're not meant to be. So I'm going to give you the chance to do the right thing. I'm going to let you break up with me."

I_ don't know where we went wrong  
But the feelin's gone  
And I just can't get it back_

888

She was sitting in the kitchen. The tears had dried but he can tell they were there. She didn't look at him.

_If you could read my mind love  
What a tale my thoughts could tell_

"You really need to eat," he said.

_Just like an old time movie_

"I'm not hungry," she returned.

_bout a ghost from a wishin' well_

"Too bad," he continued, moving towards the stove.

She sighed. "You don't know the first thing about cooking." She got up and took his place, pulling out a few things from the refridgerator.

_In a castle dark or a fortress strong_

"How bad was it?"

_With chains upon my feet_

"Had worse," he replies as she minced onions.

_But stories always end_

"So it's really over?" she asked, her knife pausing.

_And if you read between the lines  
You'll know that I'm just tryin' to understand_

"Really, really." he replied, watching her closely.

_The feelin's that you lack_

"We really suck with relationships, don't we?"

"Why do you say that?" he asked, moving closer.

"I end up with the man of my dreams only to ruin it because I can't laugh like other girls can."

"And I ended up with a needy bitch," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist.

_I never thought I could feel this way  
And I've got to say that I just to get it_

"We won't work."

"So says you," He murmured.

"We both know it, Draco."

"So tell me something I don't know, Ginny."

She sighed, relaxing into him. "I think I love you."

He smiled into her hair. "I said tell me something I don't know."

_I don't know where we went wrong  
But the feelin's gone  
And I just can't get it back_

(A/N: If you don't know the song, totally listen to. I love Gordon Lightfoot.


	16. Roses

**"Roses"**

**Meg and Dia**

Draco is everywhere in Ginny's life lately. It's starting to annoy her. And what the hell is with the roses?

---

_Turn around there's those eyes again._

He was standing behind her again. Ginny didn't need to look to know it. God, it was so annoying. What the hell was going on about? Following her around like this? Surely he didn't think something was going to come of it. Oh the war was over but that didn't mean anything. For all he knew she was going back to Harry.

_Turn around fake indifference and I. _

Ginny did her best to ignore Draco as she walked to the library but she could feel the eyes on the back of her head. Ginny tried focusing on what Hermione was saying to her but knowing those fierce gray eyes were watching her it was hard to listen to anything Hermione had to say.

"Ginny? Are you paying attention?"

Ginny blinked and gave Hermione a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Mione. Just a little distracted."

Ginny stopped cold as she saw their usual table.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked, looking at her friend. She followed Ginny's gaze and walked over to the table, picking up the yellow rose that lay on the table. She held it out to Ginny. "I think it's for you.

_Watch their cold, dark silhouettes disappear._

Ginny knew damn well it was for her and she knew it she took it there would be a small tag on it with only one letter. G.

"Who would give you a yellow rose?" Hermione asked.

Ginny couldn't answer. She could still feel the gray eyes on her. She knew if there were a hundred, a thousand people in this room she would still have felt those eyes and only those eyes.

"It's a little odd, isn't it?"

Ginny shook herself out of her reverie as Hermione sat down. "Why?"

"Well," Hermione began, sitting down. "Yellow roses mean friendship. I'm not saying you aren't a great person, but...well Ginny, you don't exactly behave as if you want a plethora of new friends. Or any new friends."

_A hundred bodies fill this room._

Ginny knew it was the truth. Hermione and Luna were all she needed for friends.

Ginny took the rose, slightly relieved that that was the meaning. She could still feel his eyes.

_And all their faces overdone._

Pansy was clinging to him and Ginny wasn't sure how she felt about this. Pansy had been clinging to him for six years. Why did today make such a difference? She had slept horribly the night before. That was it. She was annoyed because those eyes kept drifting into her dreams all night.

To make it worse there had been a full dozen of yellow roses in a vase by her bed when she woke this morning.

So why the hell was Pansy getting to her? The way she clung to him, it was annoying, but more than that, it was almost painful.

_Pain is foreign, foreign to us.  
_

Ginny looked away, biting on her nails. She could feel those damn gray eyes watching her.

"Ginny?"

Ginny looked up at Lavender. "Yeah, Lav?"

"Um, is there a reason Draco Malfoy is staring at you?"

Ginny winced.

"What?" Ron spluttered from beside Lavender.

"She said is there a reason Draco Malfoy is comparing you," Hermione chirped from her book.

Ron looked confused by this, which was probably Hermione's plan. At least everyone left it alone for the rest of the day.

_I don't even know you.  
_

Ginny could still feel those eyes as she returned to her breakfast. What was he waiting for? Did he want her to run over and beat up Parkinson then snog him to mark her territory? Cause that sure as hell wasn't happening.

Ginny ran a hand through her hair as the Owls came for mail.

She was surprised when an owl dropped a single red rose on her plate.

"Oh, Ginny! It's lovely!" Lavender gushed and Ginny forced a smile.

It was lovely. Incredibly lovely. And she knew exactly who it was from.

_You won't even know I'm gone._

Suddenly everything seemed to be closing in. "I have to go," Ginny managed, pushing her way out of the crowd of Gryffindor girls surrounding her.

The gray eyes followed her as she went.

When she was out in the hall she collapsed against the wall.

_Was it something I did wrong?_

She looked at the rose between her fingers. "What the hell do you mean by it?" she asked the empty hallway.

_Roses, roses cold._

"Red roses symbolize passion," Hermione read that night. On Ginny's insistence she had gotten out a book on the symbolism of flowers. "Passion, sincere love, beauty or respect. A single red rose…oh, my."

"What?" Ginny demanded, interested despite herself. She had to know.

_Roses, roses sold out._

Hermione looked at Ginny then bit her lip as if uncertain of whether or not to proceed. "A single red rose means 'I love you.'"

Hermione lowered her book. "Ginny…you and Harry haven't been talking about getting back together, have you?"

Ginny shook her head. "No."

_Turn around reds and whites again.  
_

"So who loves you, Ginny?"

That's what I want to know, Ginny thought but was interrupted by the arrival of an owl. Once again it had a single rose for Ginny.

This time the rose was blue.

_I'd sell my kicks for one more low tar._

"Hermione…" Ginny began but Hermione was already flipping to the proper page.

"Blue…The unattainable…the impossible…"

Ginny twirled the rose between her fingers. There was no doubt in her mind who had sent these. But was it real?

_Fevers hand in hand with shoelace bracelets._

Ginny was busy ignoring Harry and Lavender as he continued to snog her. Her mind was upstairs with the roses.

"Harry, this isn't the common room," Hermione snapped, coming over to sit with Ginny. "Get a room or stop it."

Harry broke off and stared in dismay, having just realized that Ginny was there as well.

_Why are some girls so naive?_

Ginny waved off the apology he was about to voice. "Don't worry about it, Harry. I'm glad you and Lav are together."

Hermione looked less forgiving. "Happy Singles Awareness day," Hermione groused.

Ginny blinked. "Shit, it is February fourteenth, isn't it?"

_He didn't unbutton your blouse to see_

Hermione nodded with a sour face.

"I take it Ron's being dense again," Ginny said, as Hermione began to angrily eat her breakfast.

"At least you have those roses," Hermione muttered. "Ron's been horribly inattentive lately."

"Sixty percent of all men forget to plan ahead for Valentine's day," Ginny chirped.

_A better view of your heart.  
_

Hermione looked like she was about to say something but then a swarm of owls descended on the hall. Ginny ignored them until Pig landed happily on Hermione's plate of bacon.

Hermione was more than happy to let Pig wallow in her bacon as she opened the small package he had brought her. A fine silver chain with a simple heart fell out. Ginny leaned over to see the inscription. HG+RW

Ginny looked over at Ron, whose ear tips were dark red.

_Oh yeah, can't blame you for trying.  
_

Hermione ran off to show Ron her appreciation and Ginny returned her attention to her breakfast.

Her meal was interrupted by an owl as it landed before her plate.

She hesitantly reached out and took the white rose and the card attached.

In a delicate scrawl, Ginny read: What do you mean by it?

She looked at the white rose. She knew this one. Purity of intent.

_Sing it soft.  
_

Ginny stood up, knowing the gray eyes were on her.

She ran out into the hall and stood there.

_Make it slow.  
_

This time he followed.

Ginny didn't look at him at first.

"Purity of intent?"

_Apples parachute the boys back down._

"Pretty much," he whispered.

Ginny turned to face him. "So what happens now?"

_Fill it up._

He walked closer and took her face in one hand. "Are you going to let me love you?"

His hand felt so good. This moment could have lasted forever and she would have been fine with that.

_Overflow._

"Could I stop you," she asked.

He grinned. "Never. But if you say stop, I will step back. I won't stop loving you, but I will stop trying to make you love me."

Ginny reached into her bag and pulled out a red rose.

She reached up and stuck it through his button hole.

_A new, improved modern way to feel._

"You look good in red," she whispered before letting him love her.

_I don't even know you.  
You won't even know I'm gone.  
Was it something I did wrong?_

(A/N: everyone should go check out All You Need Is Love by shewhodanceswithsquirells. It's the same kinda thing I got going here but different songs! Thanks to Narcissa Rae for introducing me to this band.


	17. Jumper

Jumper

Third Eye Blind

GD. Ginny is threatening to Jump and everyone is trying to stop her. Especially Draco.

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend_

"Ginny, be rational!"

Ginny had stopped listening to Harry about twenty minutes ago. It wasn't like he was saying anything new. Instead, she pulled her knees to her chest and watched the crowd below. Before long it would be big enough that the wizards down there wouldn't risk using magic to keep her from killing herself.

None of them had thought it might, maybe be a good idea to get some more Muggle means of preventing her from truly killing herself, like a trampoline or something.

_You could cut ties with all the lies that you've been living in_

Ginny looked over as Charlie poked his head out the window. "Um...Hey, Ginners."

"Hey Charlie," she replied.

"Um...your boyfriend just fireplaced me and he's soundin' pretty upset," Charlie began.

"He's not my boyfriend," Ginny corrected.

_And if you do not want to see me again I would understand_

Charlie blinked. "Is that why you're doing this? Christ, Ginny..."

Charlie shut up long enough to duck the pen Ginny launched at him.

"'Lright. So that isn't the reason," he corrected.

"Charlie, Harry and I broke up ages ago."

_I would understand_

"Okay, so what is it? Gin, I'm your brother."

"And you're not going to talk me out of this, in case you were thinking you might."

Charlie winced. "So who the hell do you want to talk to?"

Ginny thought about that for a second but her thoughts were interrupted by the very familiar voice of the one man she actually wanted to see.

_The angry boy a bit too insane_

"What the hell is she thinking?" Draco Malfoy roared from the room behind her. Ginny let a faint smile slide across her lips.

"Malfoy, I know you're her partner," Harry began.

"Damn fucking straight I am, Potter."

"She doesn't need you yelling at her right now," Harry continued.

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that, Potter," Malfoy snapped.

_Icing over a secret pain_

Charlie's head disappeared as Harry continued to argue with Draco. Ginny's heart skipped a few beats as she heard Draco move past Harry and Charlie.

His blonde head popped out the window. The mildly annoyed look on his face was welcome compared to the happy, wheedling looks from her brothers.

"Hi, Draco," she whispered.

_You know you don't belong_

Draco scowled at her. "Ginny, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"If you're going to be rude, I'm not going to tell you," Ginny snapped back.

Draco glanced over his shoulder at her brothers and Harry. "I'm always rude to you, Ginny," he said.

Ginny looked away from him.

"Ginny, don't make this about that."

_You're the first to fight_

Ginny sighed. "It's not about that kiss."

Draco sighed and disappeared for a second. She looked over as he climbed out onto the ledge with her. He shimmyed over to her as the crowd below roared.

"Ginny," he said, sitting down beside her. "What the hell is this about?"

_You're way too loud_

She pursed her lips angrily and refused to look at him.

"Ginny. We have to talk about this. You're...you're trying to kill yourself. Why? Is it the job? Because you know Bennet will give you a lighter load if you need it."

"It's not the job," Ginny snapped. "And you're really not helping, Draco."

_You're the flash of light on a burial shroud_

"Ginny..."

"No, Draco. You know what? I'm your partner but that doesn't mean you have to babysit me for Bennet. It's my life and I can make this decision, Draco. I don't need you fucking holding my hand the whole time."

_I know something's wrong_

"Damnit, Ginny! Talk to me!"

Ginny stared down at the crowd again.

_Well everyone I know has got a reason_

"Stop it, Ginny. Stop being the fucking martyr here. There's something wrong and I'm not leaving and I'm not letting you leave me until you tell me."

Ginny snapped her gaze to him as he tapped her with his wand. He grinned.

"You rat bastard."

"You know me, Ginny. I'll do whatever it takes to get what needs to be done. We'll stay here all night. My magic won't let you die until you tell me."

_To say put the past away_

Ginny looked away.

They sat there in silence.

"So...It's not about work," Draco finally said.

She shook her head. "Not about work. And it's not about my brothers."

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend_

Ginny leaned back, letting her legs dangle over the side. She wondered if she kicked off her shoe if the crowd below would go into hysterics.

"Is it about...Harry?" Draco spat the name with a contempt that Ginny loved.

She shook her head. "No, maybe. Not really. We broke up years ago, but he still likes me and...I stopped liking him like that. I started liking someone instead."

Draco tensed beside her.

_You could cut ties with all the lies that you've been living in_

Ginny looked over at him and wondered what on earth he was thinking.

888

_And if you do not want to see me again I would understand_

Draco had been finding it hard to breath. When the message came in that Ginny was sitting on the facade of a building, intending to jump, Draco had nearly stopped breathing.

He had rushed over here and nearly killed Potter when the idiot got in his way.

Now he was on a ledge, facing his worse fear from two different angles. If He forced Ginny to tell, he would lose her to herself. She would never believe the truth.

If he let it be, he would lose her to a place he could never get her back from.

_I would understand_

"So what can I do, Ginny?" Draco asked.

She sighed, her crimson hair falling across her face in a way that threatened to distract him during every mission they had been on in the past three years.

Three years, he thought. Three years to fall in love. It hadn't taken nearly that long. Three days was probably closer to the truth.

_Well he's on the table and he's gone to code_

"Just let me help you, Ginny."

She sighed again. "I can't, Draco."

_And I do not think anyone knows_

"Why the hell not?"

She glanced at him. "You can't just make me do everything you want me to. We're not on the field, here, Draco."

"Damnit, Ginny! You think I don't know that? I can never make you do anything you don't want to."

That irritatingly lovely little smile of hers slipped over her pretty face, stealing Draco's breath again.

_What they're doing here_

"That's nice to know," Ginny whispered.

Draco was losing his patience. "Look, if it's about Potter, I'll kill the little prick. Problem solved. You can come back to work."

_And your friends have left you_

Ginny tossed her head angrily, glaring at him. "It's not about his being there or not being there. He can transfer to Maine and it wouldn't mean a damn thing. So get this through your head, Draco, it's not fucking about him."

This time Draco actually believed her.

He looked away, picking at rubble on the ledge where they sat.

"So tell me what it's about."

_You've been dismissed_

She tossed her head again, her brilliant hair catching the light. "It's...it's about us."

Draco blinked. What the hell did that mean?

"About our partnership? I know Bennet says we're the best together but if you don't think so then just say so and I'll request a transfer..."

_I never thought it would come to this_

"It's not about that," she snapped. "I know we work well together. We always have. Working together isn't the problem."

Draco sighed. This was taking forever but it was nice to know they were getting somewhere. "So what is it about us?" he asked, painfully aware that her entire family waited in the next room, through the thin, thin wall.

_And I, I want you to know_

She looked at him. "You know."

He sighed again. "That kiss."

"Yeah, that kiss," she repeated.

_Everyone's got to face down the demons_

If he hadn't thought he was about to die, Draco knew he wouldn't have kissed her. It was the stupidest move in the book and subsequently, the one everyone used. It also wasn't the first time he had kissed her. She had kissed him once in Argentina when he was in a cell and the kiss had been used to transfer a key to him. She had promptly been caught by the warden but before the men could jeer too much over her infamous red hair, Draco had broken out and come to her rescue.

They had exchanged many key pieces of evidence over the past three years through kisses and hugs. But it was the most recent kiss that had really changed it.

_Maybe today_

It had been a covert operation and both of them had been undercover in Egypt. Ginny had dyed her hair with temporary dye for the mission and gotten a 'tan'. Draco had kept his pale skin but given himself black hair. They had each been working opposing halves of a drug triangle with Dennis Creevey in the final corner.

The mission had been to shut down the drug cartel and it had been three months of hell for everyone involved.

Everything had gone sour at the last possible second. Ginny had been ratted out and the triangle had agreed that Draco would kill her as a gesture of his good faith.

_You could put the past away_

He could still remember the crowded ballroom. Ginny in her brilliant green Egyptian silk dress, her brown eyes telling him to do it. Telling him he had to do it.

The gun, cold in his hand and heavy.

Dennis, his little face pinched with the possibilities he was running through his head.

He remembered lifting the gun. Ginny nodded.

In that moment, he had known.

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend_

He couldn't kill her and he couldn't stop loving her. So he had kissed her, fully expecting to be shot in the back even as he lifted the gun and shot the first person he could.

The scene had descended into madness after that, Dennis pulling out his wand and going magician on the not-so-innocent Muggles present.

After it was all over, Ginny, Draco and Dennis had gotten their heads chewed off by Bennet and they were all put on mandatory vacation for a week.

Draco and Ginny hadn't listened but permitted themselves to be confined to paperwork.

_You could cut ties with all the lies that you've been living in_

Now those bright brown eyes were staring at him.

She looked away again. "Look, you really want to know what's wrong? It was that kiss. But it was a lot more than that. I know you aren't supposed to develop feelings for your partners, I know that."

_And if you do not want to see me again I would understand_

"I know you're not supposed to care about me and I'm not supposed to care about you. Not any more than necessary to get the job done."

_I would understand_

"And I know this wouldn't work."

_I would understand_

"I know it would never, in a million years, work. Your family hates me and mine. We're supposed to hate you and yours."

_I would understand_

"My brothers still accuse me of being a traitor because I work with you and trust you."

_I would understand_

"I know all of this, Draco. I know it won't work."

_I would understand_

"So can't you get it? That's why I'm here. That's why I'm jumping."

_Understand_

"Because I'm tired of wanting what I can't have."

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

"Ginny..." Draco began but she cut him off.

"I know. It's stupid and silly. But I'm tired of it all. I'm tired of trying to stop loving you."

_Can you put the past away?_

Draco reached over and took her face in his hand. He leaned forward and kissed her.

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend_

Ginny was silent in the aftermath as he pulled away, keeping his hand on her cheek.

_I would understand_

"Ginny, I kissed you that night for a reason. It went against everything the Ministry wanted of that situation."

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend_

"We went in there knowing that we might not come out. I kissed you that night because I didn't care what they said. I kissed you that night because I couldn't bear to kill you. And I kissed you just now because I can't bear to watch you kill yourself."

_I would understand_

She was silent for a minute. "What about my brothers?" she whispered.

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend_

Draco pulled her closer. "We'll make it work."

_And I would understand_

"What about..."

"We'll make it work, Ginny."

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend_

She leaned against him and they smiled.

_I would understand_

"Besides," Draco said, some time later, "You're brothers can't hate the guy who talked their sister back from the ledge."

Ginny laughed and kissed him again before they started into the apartment once again, where her family waited.

_I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend  
I would understand_

(A/N: So, the plan is to give you guys a new song fic every Friday. This means a sinfully large amount of updating during the regular week and I can't promise anything right now. But if all works according to plan, I should be getting you guys 8-9 updates a week plus the weekly song fic. As for song fics, I have a ton on the back burners right now including a trilogy or two plus an April Fools Day one. :3 Any way, I'm always looking for new songs/bands to try so drop me a line! Or requests are an option. Tune in next week for The Girl Next Door by Saving Jane!


	18. The Girl Next Door

**The Girl Next Door**

Saving Jane

DP, DG, PN

Pansy knows that Draco's running around with Ginny. Which doesn't bother her except she thinks that she might be losing Neville too.

* * *

_Small town homecoming queen_

Ginny Weasley was irrevocably lovely. Everyone had to know it. Pansy's on-again-off-again boyfriend Draco sure as hell was making it no secret that he found her attractive.

Normally this would annoy the hell out of Pansy and she would be forced to retaliate Slytherin Style but she found herself strangely reluctant to lately.

Sure, Ginny was a former Gryffindor but ever since Harry Potter made his relationship with Astoria Greengrass very, very public, the old standards seemed not to apply.

_She's the star in this scene_

What was more, Ginny and Draco worked together at the Library of Magic at the Ministry. So really, Pansy should have been beside herself with envy. Strangely she wasn't.

When she thought about it though, she hadn't been terribly in love with Draco for a while now. Besides, there was something else on her mind lately.

_There's no way to deny she's lovely_

Pansy couldn't help but notice Neville Longbottom lately. During the war he had been a constant presence but Pansy had never really noticed him. He had just been a Potter wannabe but now she seemed to see him around the library every time she came down from the Auror offices where she was in charge of paperwork for several of the Aurors, Neville included. Despite that, she almost never saw him. His paperwork always arrived on time and via owl. He signed everything promptly and in short, was one of the best of those she worked for. Fords was never on time and Weasley, well his attempts at order were just sad.

_Perfect skin, perfect hair_

Everything started about three months ago when Draco got the job in the Library. Pansy had been thrilled that he would be close to her even if she didn't care about him like that.

That first day she had gone down to see him on her lunch break and had been surprised to see Neville standing at the counter, talking to Ginny.

At first she had thought nothing of it but lately it seemed every time she went down there, Neville was somewhere in the library, lurking.

_Perfumed hearts everywhere_

It bothered her. It hadn't at first, but now it did. She wanted to know what Neville could possibly see in Ginny Weasley.

From that moment, Pansy made it her mission to discredit Ginny in Neville's eyes.

_Tell myself that inside she's ugly_

Pansy watched Ginny as the younger girl shelved a stack of books. Draco was there, holding the stack as Ginny climbed up the ladder and replaced the books. She had no idea what they were talking about but she was fine because Draco was taking an obvious interest in Ginny and keeping the girl away from Neville.

"Jealous?"

Pansy jumped and turned to see Neville crouching beside her amid the shelves. He was smiling kindly at her and she felt ready to blush.

"What do you mean?" she stammered.

_Maybe I'm just jealous_

"Your boyfriend and Ginny make a cute couple, don't they?"

Pansy looked at them. "They do at that."

"And you're okay with that?" Neville asked.

Pansy looked out at Ginny as the red head laughed at something Draco said. "I think I really am."

_I can't help but hate her_

Neville looked out at Ginny and Draco. "You know, I really envy Draco. Never thought that would happen."

Pansy's heart twisted in her chest.

_Secretly I wonder if my boyfriend wants to date her_

Blaise steepled his fingers and studied his friend. Pansy Parkinson had really gotten pretty in the few years since school ended and Blaise knew any man would be a fool not to keep her. Unless of course he had someone much more...interesting.

Blaise couldn't really blame Draco for frolicking off with Ginny. Ginny Weasley was gorgeous and the exact opposite of Pansy. She was also the one that got away, at least for Draco.

_She is the prom queen I'm in the marching band_

"So, Pans. What can I do for you?"

Pansy looked at Blaise and he admired her fierce gaze. Those pretty blue eyes of hers with her newly black hair made her quite intimidating but no less lovely.

"I need you to help me turn a certain fellow off of a certain lady."

_She is a cheerleader I'm sitting in the stands_

"Draco?" Blaise guessed.

Pansy shook her head. "No." She felt a blush rising but she forced herself to say the name. "Neville."

Blaise nearly choked. "Longbottom? Are you kidding me? Pansy...what the hell are you thinking?"

Blaise just barely dodged the wine glass that shattered against the wall behind him.

"Don't try me, Blaise. I'm not in the mood."

_She gets the top bunk I'm sleeping on the floor_

Blaise could see that. He usually wasn't intimidated by anyone but Pansy was just getting to him. So he held up his hands in supplication. "Alright then. Learned my lesson. Let's not antagonize you then."

Pansy grabbed a new wine glass and filled it with the Bordeaux Blaise had there.

"Glad to hear it. Now are you going to help me?"

"I'm a little uncertain as to what you want me to do..." Blaise said.

_She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door_

Pansy sighed. "I want you to make sure Neville doesn't fall in love with her. I have nothing against Ginny and Draco being together but I will tear her hair out before I let her have him."

Blaise leaned back and thought about it. He saw no reason not to step in.

_Senior class president_

Neville's tongue slipped out between his lips as he furiously played the game. Draco glanced at him appreciatively. Neville was amazing at these games even if he tended to be a little more intense than Draco was used to.

"How are things going with Ginny?" Neville asked.

Draco grinned. "I really can't believe you're okay with this. I know Weasley won't ever let me get close if it weren't for you and Potter being okay with us."

Neville shrugged. "You've done some crap to us in the past but you more than made up for it."

Draco shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. He didn't like to talk about that period of his life and most of the time everyone accommodated him. Neville knew Draco would eventually have to talk about what he did those days but Neville was more than willing to let Ginny be the one to talk to him about it.

_She must be heaven sent_

"Evenin' Gentlemen," Blaise drawled, coming into the room.

"Hey, Blaise," Neville said, killing Draco's character for the third time while he was distracted.

"What brings you over here?" Draco asked, pausing the game a second too late.

Blaise dropped into a chair with a shrug. "You'll be quite happy to know that your girlfriend asked me to make sure Neville and Ginny don't hit it off."

Draco grinned at Neville. "Looks like your girl has some stones after all."

Neville remained quiet. His mind drifted off to Pansy, as it always did when he had nothing in particular to think about. And sometimes even when he did have better things to be thinking about.

_She was never the last one standing_

"Neville?"

Neville glanced up. "Sorry? Zoned out for a minute there. What were we talking about?"

Draco and Blaise exchanged a significant look.

"What?" Neville demanded.

"Nothing," Draco sang, returning to the game.

_A backseat debutante_

Ginny Weasley was looking stunning again. Pansy couldn't help but hate her. She looked fantastic without even trying.

"Having fun?"

Pansy started as once again, Neville Longbottom joined her. He smiled at her and held out a Styrofoam cup of coffee. "Peace offering?"

She couldn't resist a smile and took the cup.

_Everything that you want_

"Thanks."

"You know, I'm starting to think you're stalking Ginny."

Pansy smirked. "I'm not stalking Ginny. Just making sure someone doesn't ... find her too interesting."

"But you don't care if Draco is hot for her?"

Pansy shook her head. "Nope. That ship sailed a long, long time ago."

_Never to harsh or too demanding_

Neville settled down beside her. "Lovely, isn't it?"

"Pardon?" Pansy spluttered.

Neville laughed softly. "The library. Do you like it?"

Pansy looked around at the gothic windows and arches. "It truly is. Who designed it? Do you know?"

"My dad," Neville replied.

_Maybe I'll admit it_

Pansy looked over at him. "Oh. I didn't know your dad did that sort of thing."

"Before the war started Dad was big on architecture. Then the war started and...well, it became a little harder for him to keep up on those hobbies."

Pansy looked away. She knew Neville's story. Hers was almost the same and it killed her every day.

"I'm sorry about your parents," she whispered.

_I'm a little bitter_

He smiled over at her. "Don't sweat it, princess. It's not like you did it."

She looked away, her face growing red. "Not me, no."

"Pansy? What is it?"

She forced a smile. "Nothing, Nev. Nothing at all."

_Everybody loves her but I just wanna hit her_

"Pansy? I've seen that look before."

She sighed. "Bella...Bellatrix Lestrange killed my parents. I didn't know it but I was raised by my foster parents, the Parkinsons as one of theirs. I didn't realize it until about a year ago."

Neville stared at her. "God, Pansy. I...I didn't know."

Pansy shrugged. "I don't exactly make it public. Draco knows and that's about it."

_She is the prom queen I'm in the marching band_

Pansy started as Neville threw his arms around her. She stiffened then relaxed.

Neville kissed her temple. "I'm sorry, Pansy."

_She is a cheerleader I'm sitting in the stands_

Pansy laughed. "It's not your fault."

They were silent for a moment.

"Why do you want so badly for me to think ill of Ginny?"

_She gets the top bunk I'm sleeping on the floor_

Pansy tensed again and he pulled back a little. "I...I want you to like me."

Neville chuckled. "Pansy. I do like you."

_She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door_

Pansy looked up at him and met his eyes. "Neville, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that isn't enough but...I want you to like...only me."

Neville was silent and looked away. Pansy suddenly feared she had said too much. She put her hands against his shoulders and made to rise but Neville held her close, his arms forcing her closer.

She let him.

_Oh and I'm just the girl next door_

Pansy stared down into those wonderful eyes. He smiled at her and her heart skipped a few beats.

"Pansy, you're the only girl for me. You were always the only girl for me."

_I don't know why I'm feeling sorry for myself_

Pansy stared into his eyes and couldn't help but see the truth. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his.

_I spend all my time wishing that I was someone else_

Neville tensed for a moment then he relaxed. Pansy relaxed down into him. His arms became as needy as his lips and Pansy let him guide her down to the floor. His arms were around her then his hands were sliding up her back and she was slipping her hands under his shirt, fumbling at his pants.

_She is the prom queen I'm in the marching band_

"Ahem."

Pansy looked up from the attention she had been paying to Neville's lower lip and saw Ginny and Draco leaning over the counter and smirking down at them.

_She is a cheerleader I'm sitting in the stands_

"Pansy, love," Ginny giggled. "I'm afraid the library doesn't condone public displays of affection. No matter how overdue they are."

Pansy grinned. "So, who exactly do we have to thank for this?"

_I get a little bit, she gets a little more_

Ginny and Draco grinned at each other. "Well, us of course," Draco drawled. "But Blaise had a hand in this as well."

"Thank you," Pansy said, and meant it.

The pair grinned and moved away.

_She's Miss America and... she's Miss America_

"Oh, and Pansy?" Ginny said, turning back to the lovers on the floor.

Pansy looked up and met her eyes.

"Happy Birthday," Ginny said with a wink.

_I'm just the girl next door..._

(A/N: Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this one! It took me a while to figure out how to end this one. Internet has been down at school, so sorry for the delay! Just FYI, I'm always open for requests. Up next? I'm thinking some more MEatloaf!! Tune in Friday. Oh, and since I'm gonna be gone all next week, I will try to post two fan fics next week. Sound good?


	19. Not A Dry Eye In The House

**Not A Dry Eye In the House**

Meat Loaf

D/P, D/G. After Pansy breaks up with him, Draco is having a hard time coping.

* * *

_Not a dry eye in the house_

Draco glared at the stone floor as if it had done him a personal wrong. Twice already Blaise and Theo had both come by since hearing the news, each with words of comfort he didn't want to hear.

It was entirely Pansy's fault, Draco ruminated. He usually blamed her like this but this time it really was. The stupid bint had broken up with him. HIM. He was a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake. No one broke up with him. No one.

It was more than just her being the dumper instead of the dumpee and Draco knew it. He wasn't going to admit that. Not yet and not ever.

_After love's curtain comes down_

Draco tensed at the sounds of footsteps. Honest to Merlin, how the hell did so many people know about this place? Oh, right. Saint Potter had saved Weasley Girl down here. After that the Chamber of Secrets had been permanently open. Strong wards were in place to keep students from wandering down but any Slytherin worth his salt would know how to get past them.

Which meant he was safe from Pansy. She was hopeless when it came to counterspells. If he hadn't been casting for her, Granger would have kicked her ass back during those duels in second year.

He was also safe from Gryffindors.

_Listen and you'll hear the sound_

"This seat taken?" Asked a very, very familiar voice.

Draco looked up in surprise to see the red framed face of Ginny Weasley.

"Weasley? How the hell did you get down here?"

She took a seat beside him in the doorway, looking out over the underground chasm of the Chamber of Secrets.

"You think you're the only one who knows how to break wards?"

_Hear the sound of a heart breaking_

"You break wards?" He asked incredulously.

She gave a half shrug, still looking out over the Chamber. Draco glanced out briefly but he could see nothing but the underground lake and the giant skeleton he was used to seeing. What the hell was she seeing?

Then it came to him. Memories. She was seeing memories.

For a second he felt a twinge of regret that she had to be down here where so many of her memories were bad. Then he remembered that he hadn't invited her down. It wasn't his fault.

_I can still see you standing there_

"What are you doing so far from the safety of your nest, little Weasel?" he asked. "I would think this would be the last place you would ever want to come."

She looked at him. "Are you referring to my Chamber ordeal? I assure you I'm quite fine talking about it."

Her blase attitude was getting on his nerves. She was suspposed to be afraid of him. This was his...

He stopped as he realized that this wasn't his home turf. This little girl had laid claim to it long before he came along.

_Midnight wind blowing through your hair_

He glanced at her again. She was looking out over the room again and he realized she was really quite lovely when she wasn't trailing after Potter.

He shook that horrible thought out of his head then glanced over sharply as she giggled.

"What?" he snapped indignantly.

She shook her head. "Nothing. You just looked like someone had shown you a picture of Snape in a dress."

She laughed brightly at the horrified look on his face.

_Kisses sweet in the salty air_

"Weasley, I hope you realize the only reason I'm letting you stay here is because you have seniority. Don't make me revoke that right of yours."

"You're such a little liar," she commented gaily.

Draco snapped his gaze back to her with a look of shock. She smiled demurely.

"The hell you say? Weasley, do you have a death wish?"

She met his eyes. "The only reason you're letting me stay is because in the" she consulted her watch "five minutes I've been here, I haven't once mentioned Pansy."

Draco recoiled as if slapped. She smiled at him then looked back to the collosal skeleton.

_When love was forever_

"So what if it is?" Draco demanded.

She looked over at him with those warm brown eyes. "What are you going to do about it?" she demanded.

"What should I do about it?" he returned.

"Are you going to make me leave?" she asked. "You could, you know. Just say the right words."

"And what are the right words?" he asked.

"Please."

_Turn the page and we fade to blue_

Draco looked away from her. It was the weirdest conversation he had ever had with anyone.

"How many brothers do you have?" Draco asked suddenly.

She didn't look at him but hopped down from where they were sitting and strode into the Chamber and towards the skeleton. After a moment's pause, Draco followed her.

"Six, Draco. I have six brothers."

"Why did you say that?" he asked, halting in his process.

She was kneeling by the massive ribs that stuck up from the back bones. She turned her head, a quiet smile on her pretty face.

_The scene has changed now I'm without you_

"Because I can."

"What if I asked you not to?" Draco asked.

"Just say the right words."

_Well You just...Walked away when the act was through_

Draco looked at her as she returned her attention to the rib bones. She had a pen knife out and was doing something. He realized she was scratching the bone.

"What are you doing?" He demanded.

She looked over at him. "I thought that would be obvious. I'm leaving my mark."

"Why?"

Her brown eyes were strangely intense and he looked away, dropping the inquiry. The Chamber had left more than its mark on her.

_And the dream was over_

"What do you want of me?" Draco demanded.

She folded her knife and rose to her feet.

"If you want me to leave, just say so."

"No."

Draco blinked in astonishment to find that he really didn't want her to leave. That was a problem.

_It was almost like a movie - the way you said goodbye_

"What happens now?" Draco asked.

She spread her arms. "Anything you want."

Draco watched her as she stood, watching him. What did he want? Not sex. Not her. He wanted her, he could feel it despite the break up with Pansy and his life long adversion of Weasleys. But not here and not like this. When she came to him she would be doing the coming. He wouldn't make her. Not her.

He looked into those smiling brown eyes and the only thing he could think to ask was "What do you want to know?"

_You must have a lot of time rehearsing each and every line_

She smiled and took a seat. "Quid pro quo?"

He recognized the latin. "Yeah. Quid pro Quo."

He took a seat across from her. "What is your middle name?" he asked.

"Molly. What's yours?"

"Septimus."

_Now there's not a dry eye in the house_

Her face crinkled in a smile.

"You think my middle name is funny?" He demanded.

"I'm sorry. But there's this Muggle movie called Stardust. And one of the characters in it is called Septimus." She cocked her head at him. "I was thinking how much you and he are alike."

"You mean he's ruggedly handsome and witty?" Draco asked, preening himself.

"Something like that. He does die at the end."

_After love's curtain comes down_

"A manly death?" Draco asked.

"He drowns because a witch puts a voodoo doll of him in a water fountain."

Draco was affronted. "That's...horrible! Promise you will shot me in the forehead or something."

She laughed. "I can do that."

_Listen and you'll hear the sound_

Draco was inexplicably transfixed by her laugh. What right had she to have a laugh that sweet and innocent?

She was staring at him and he realized it was his turn.

"Right. What's your favorite color?"

"Black."

"Really?"

"Really. What's yours?"

"Green," he smirked and she laughed again.

_Hear the sound of a heart breaking_

"When's your birthday?" he asked.

"August eleventh. When's yours?"

"May tenth. Where were you born?"

"Ireland actually."

"Really?"

He was intrigued despite himself.

_Not a smile left on my face_

"How'd that happen?"

"My Mum was pregnant with me when she and dad went on vacation. I was born three weeks premature."

"I was premature too," Draco commented.

"Really?"

"Only a week. My father was furious. He was certain I would never grow up right."

Draco smiled silently.

_The ending's just too sad to take_

"Your turn," he replied.

She tilted her head back, thinking.

_And there's not a dry eye  
Not a dry eye in the house_

"Have you ever been in love?" she asked.

He started and looked away.

_The greatest story was you and me_

"I...I don't know. I thought I was but...she wasn't who I thought she was."

She nodded.

"What about you?" He asked.

_Had it all we had everything, but now the_

"Still am," she said.

Draco noticed she didn't meet his eyes this time.

_Story's done it's just history_

"How did you know?" He asked.

"That I was in love? That was easy. I wanted to see him all the time. And when he wanted to be with someone else...I let him."

Draco frowned slightly. He hadn't heard that Potter was dating anyone. However, he didn't really keep tabs on the moron, so it wouldn't surprise him.

_The last act is over_

"But what if that person wasn't right for him?" Draco asked, curious.

She shrugged. "Didn't matter. If you love them enough, you let them go. Love is like flying. You never know when your broom might die and when his broom dies, I just have to be there to catch him."

"But if he doesn't know you're there..."

"He can't know I'm there or he won't ever take risks. He has to take risks so I have to let him think that I don't feel that way for him."

_You every line had the sweetest sound_

"So what would you say to him?" Draco asked. "If you could talk to him for just a minute without worrying about anything, what would you say?"

"I don't know if it's what I'd say...or what I'd do."

_Your every touch turned my world around_

"So show me."

"And have you run off screaming that a Weasley raped you? No thanks."

He grabbed her wrist. "Look, I don't kiss and tell. Please?"

_But the light came up and my world crashed down_

She smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Glad to see you've learned a thing or two."

She rose to her knees, leaning over him and touched his face gently. "We'll call you Neville."

He winced but he preferred that to being Potter any day. He nodded.

She took his face in her hands and brushed a gentle kiss over his face. "How many times did she kiss you?"

He pulled a number at random from the air.

"And was any one as great as this?" she asked then her lips met his and he knew. No matter what it took, she was going to be the one he spent the rest of his life with.

_End of show - its over_

"No, they didn't," he muttered when she finally pulled back.

She smiled. "Then I have a lot to catch up on."

For a second he thought she was going to kiss him again and he thought (prayed) that she would.

_It was almost like a movie_

Instead she pulled back, a scarlet blush forming on her face.

"Well. That's something like I'd want it to go down."

"I approve," he muttered as she climbed off him. He forced his fingers to release her.

_Those nights we touched the stars_

They were silent, staring at each other awkwardly.

_Time stood still for you and I_

"Tell me about you and Pansy," she suddenly commanded.

_Now its sad enough to make you cry_

He jumped in surprise. He had been thinking about kisses and not about Pansy's.

"Not much to tell. We just weren't right for each other."

"How'd you know?" she asked.

_Now there's not a dry eye in the house  
After love's curtain comes down  
Listen and you'll hear the sound  
Hear the sound of a heart breaking_

Draco gave a short, bitter laugh. "Aside from the fact that she broke up with me?"

Her pretty face took on a red tint again but she looked persistent.

"Seriously. You had to have known at some point."

_Not a smile left on my face  
The ending's just too sad to take_

He sighed. "I heard this Muggle song once by accident. It's not easy to ignore everything Muggle, you know. Any way, it went something like "If you wanna know if he loves you so it's in his kiss.""

She smiled. "Every girl knows that song."

"Well, it's true for girls too. Pansy's kiss...just did nothing. And if you must know the truth, that's why I'm down here. Hiding from my friends."

_And there's not a dry eye  
Not a dry eye in the house_

"It isn't because I can't stand to face Pansy because she broke up with me. It's because I can't stand to face Pansy because I've known for a while that we weren't right for each other. There was never any spark."

_Act one - the story's just begun_

He looked at her now. They had been down there almost two hours. At first he hadn't wanted her there.

_Act two - I fell in love with you_

He wondered what he would do if she left. Would he make her stay? He had that power, he thought.

_Act three - knew it was meant to be_

Could he do that to her? He had to know.

_Act four - you don't love me no more_

As if reading his intentions, she stood. "I should go," she said, her voice strangely husky.

"Wait," he called out, struggling to his feet as she made her way to the portal.

_And there's not a dry eye in the house_

She paused.

_After love's curtain comes down_

"Why did you come down here? Why stay with me? Why help me? I've never been anything but an ass to you."

_Listen and you'll hear the sound_

She turned back to him with a weak smile, tears in her brilliant brown eyes. "Isn't it obvious, Draco?"

_Hear the sound of a heart breaking_

Draco stood, dumbfounded, staring as she left him, as she walked away and her shoulders shook with sobs.

_Not a smile left on my face_

He couldn't let it end like this. He couldn't let her leave him now.

_The ending's just too sad to take_

He ran the short distance to her and took her shoulders. She turned but would not look up at him.

"Stay?"

_And there's not a dry eye_

Another sob wracked her.

"Please?" He whispered.

_Not a dry eye  
Not a dry eye in the house_

He felt her head nodd against his chest and he held her close.

_After loves curtain comes down  
Listen and youll hear the sound  
Hear the sound of a heart breaking  
Not a dry eye in the house_

_Not a dry eye in the house_

_Not a dry eye in the house_

_Not a dry eye in the house_

In the Chamber, a stray beam of light lit the rib cage of the great snake. On one rib, a few letters gleamed, carved into the rib by a red haired girl trying to get up her nerve to tell the boy she loved of her feelings.

GW & DM

(A/N: I know I promised two song fics today but this one took it all out of me. I'm happy with it but I don't have the energy for another one.

Next week? Billy Joel, bitches.


	20. Only The Good Die Young

For JulieZabiniMalfoy who wanted a Ginny/OC

Only The Good Die Young

Billy Joel

Ginny/OC Always keep your work and your play apart from each other. Unless he insists...

(A/N: Yes, I know Ginny's full name is Ginevra Molly Weasley. But for this chapter she's going to be Virginia Molly Weasley. Get over it.)

888

_Come out, Virginia_

Ginny secured her bangs back with her left hand, pinning them with her right, the glittering black bobby pin casting a striking difference with her hair.

"That's cute."

Ginny spun in alarm then relaxed to see it was just her partner, Jesse Fords.

He held up his hands in surrender, his grin wide and charming as always. "Hey, Gin, truce?"

She smiled in apology. "Sorry, Jesse."

He shrugged. "Occupational hazard. I really shouldn't be sneaking up on you."

_Don't let me wait_

Jesse Fords was absolutely gorgeous. He had longish brown hair with a hint of honey in it and the sort of blue eyes that had every girl in a room sighing with wanton desires. He was also the best Auror here in the Ireland branch. He would have been the best if Harry Potter wasn't still working in the London branch. He was single with a capital S but also trouble with a capital T.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Jesse asked, moving dangerously close to Ginny as he looked over her shoulder at the paperwork.

Ginny felt her breath desert her and was forced to take several deep breaths before she replied. "Just some recon for Tonks."

Andromeda Tonks had taken over the Ireland branch of the Aurors after her husband and daughter died. She was creepily good at what she did. Her reluctant nephew Draco Malfoy was watching her grandson for her during the days. Malfoy had actually gotten good with kids for reason no one understood.

_You Catholic girls start much too late_

"You visiting your brothers?"

Ginny started in surprise. She had almost forgot. Since the war almost a year ago, she had spent every Saturday night she could in the hospital room of her twin brothers.

Since the war George and Fred had been in comas at Mungos. No one knew what was wrong with them. Fred had nearly died but he had long since recovered yet remained in a coma. There was nothing wrong with George but he too remained in a coma.

"After work," Ginny confirmed.

Jesse nodded. "Want company?"

_Ah, but sooner or later it comes down to fate_

Ginny felt a blush rising but forced it down. "Sure. That'd be...nice of you."

Jesse smiled that damn smile of his and held out an arm for her.

_I might as well be the one_

Andromeda Tonks looked up as Ginny and Jesse entered her office. She smiled and the pair smiled back at her.

"What's on the agenda today, boss?" Jesse asked as Ginny sat down. Once she was seated, he took his seat.

_Well they showed you a statue_

"Just a few minor things I want you two to wrap up."

Ginny nodded. She and Jesse were good at tying off loose ends and Andromeda knew it.

"What manner?" Jesse asked curtly.

"Just clean up for an assignment in Dresden."

"Dresden?" Ginny repeated, intrigued now. "Isn't that a little out of our jurisdiction?"

_Told you to pray_

"To say the least. However Havoc and Whitmore's last mission took them to Dresden and the German embassy allowed us room to finish the maneuver on the condition that we clean everything up in the end."

Ginny nodded, catching the drift of where this was going. Abernathy Whitmore and Amanda Havoc, one of the best teams, were not so good at memory spells. Not to mention the fact that the half sisters had a vacation coming up.

_They built you a temple_

"How bad is it?" Jesse asked.

Andromeda pursed her lips and consulted her notes. "Not too bad. Maybe a few hours. That won't...that won't affect your time with your brothers, will it Ginny?"

Ginny shook her head, touched at Andromeda's concern. "No, visiting hours are til ten tonight. We can be done by then."

_And locked you away_

Andromeda nodded. "Good. Here's all you need to know."

She handed Jesse a folder then offered one to Ginny but Ginny waved it away and looked over at Jesse's instead. Jesse tensed slightly but made no further move.

The file was simple as was the task. The mission had been witnessed by a few Muggles who had been rounded up and were awaiting memory alterations. A few minor buildings had been damaged during the three day fight between the team and the rogue wizard.

Ginny committed the addresses to memory and nodded at Andromeda.

_Ah, but they never told you the price that you pay_

"We'll get right on it," Jesse said, rising from his chair.

Ginny rose too and with a last smile at Andromeda, followed her partner out of the room.

_The things that you might have done_

The pair headed towards the Apparation room. Wraith Pitt-Rivers, Abernathy's boyfriend was waiting patiently for his girlfriend to come.

Wraith, who worked as an independent consultant with the Ministry, smiled at Ginny and Jesse. Wraith was utterly gorgeous, the only man she had ever met who outshone Jesse.

_For only the good die young_

Wraith however, was irrevocably in love with his girlfriend and Ginny couldn't hate him for that.

"Off to clean up after your girl," Jesse jibed good-naturedly.

Wraith grinned, flicking back blond hair. "Someone's got to! At least she's kind enough to make messes for your...partner."

Ginny noticed the pause in Wraith's narrative but thought nothing of it.

_That's what I said_

There was a crack and Abernathy and Amanda appeared, laughing gaily.

Wraith crossed swiftly into the room and swept his woman up into his arms, kissing her soundly.

Ginny couldn't resist a small sigh at the romantic gesture.

_Only the good die young_

Amanda smiled at Ginny. "Sorry we left such a mess, Ginny."

Abernathy broke off her kiss. "Yeah, we got a little carried away."

Ginny shrugged. "You did what you had to and now a rogue wizard is under control. I can't blame you for it."

"Well, we'll see if you still say that when you get back," Amanda said, winking at Jesse who shook his head with a smile.

_Only the good die young._

Ginny laughed and let Jesse lead her into the Apparation room. As they always did, they held hands as they apparated.

_You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd_

Dresden was beautiful, Ginny reflected, stepping out of the Apparation terminal. The city was old and showed signs still of the battering it had taken during the second World War but it was still lovely.

Jesse still held her hand and consulted his notes. "All right, we shouldn't be too far."

Ginny spotted a man in a black trench coat who looked familiar.

She nudged Jesse and nodded at the man. Jesse's face lit up with recognition and he hailed the man.

_We ain't too pretty_

"Jesse!" The man chortled in thick German tones. "So good to see you again."

Jesse nodded. "Good to see you too, Lars. This is Ginny. She's my partner now."

"And a lovely one she is," Lars chuckled. "Welcome to Dresden, Miss Ginny. I only wish you could be visiting our city under better circumstances."

_We ain't too proud_

Ginny smiled, caught up in his enthusiasm. "As would I."

Lars chuckled again then motioned for them to follow him. "Come. I'll show you where it happened."

Jesse continued to hold Ginny's hand as they followed Lars' bob of dark blond hair as the man led them down the German streets.

_We might be laughing a bit too loud_

Ginny winced when they reached the proper house. Long, dark scorch marks marred the three houses and a few windows had shattered.

"Looks like Abby had her fun," Jesse muttered.

"Amanda too," Ginny replied. She knew both girls had volatile magic and between the two of them, she could see how they could get...overexcited.

_But that never hurt no one_

"Shall we?" Ginny asked, gesturing to the scorch marks.

"You want to cover that or the the Muggles?" Jesse asked, finally releasing her hand.

Ginny wiggled her fingers once, marvelling how empty her hand felt without his.

No time for that, she thought.

_So come on Virginia_

"I'll handle the marks. I'm better at that."

Jesse grinned at her and wrapped a strand of her red hair around his finger. "Sure thing."

_Show me a sign_

Ginny pulled out her wand and cast a quick Disillusionment charm to keep other Muggles from stumbling on her as she worked. She quickly fixed the scorches and restored the windows.

She stood, looking at her handiwork and smiled slightly.

_Send up a signal_

A pair of arms encircled her waist and she jumped. She craned her head around and Jesse smiled apologetically at her.

"And here I thought I'd be done first."

She smirked at him.

_And I'll throw you a line_

"What now?" Ginny asked.

"Well, we can get you to your brothers unless you wanna hang out for a bit first."

_That stained glass curtain you're hiding behind_

Ginny looked around. "I'm not familiar with Dresden. Are you?"

He smiled. "I studied here during Auror training. Let me show you some sights."

_Never lets in the sun_

Ginny let Jesse lead her off. His hand felt incredibly good in hers and she never wanted this day to end.

Auror training warned you about getting too close to your partners and as they made their way to a little cafe, Ginny tried to remember just what they had said. In her subconscious she could hear Hermione's admonishing tones and Ron's indignant ones but when Jesse pulled her to a table for two, all the voices disappeared.

"So how are your brothers?" Jesse asked after they had ordered their drinks, Jesse translating Ginny's request for an orange juice. Ginny would have liked to sample a local drink but Jesse warned her that they were all quite alcoholic and Ginny knew they should be sober for the return home.

_Darlin' only the good die young_

"Ron and Hermione are hot and heavy as always. You know about the twins."

Ginny's juice came with Jesse's Coke. She took a sip.

"What do you want?" Jesse asked.

Ginny shrugged. "Surprise me."

_Only the good die young_

Jesse grinned but nodded then spoke rapidly in German to the waiter who nodded and left them again.

"What about Bill?"

"Bill and Fleur are expecting again."

"Trying for a boy?"

"Fleur is. I don't think Bill could care less. Victoire has him so wrapped around her finger it's ridiculous."

_Only the good die young_

Jesse shook his head. "Ah, the perils of Weasley females."

Ginny felt a blush threaten.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

He smiled charmingly at her.

_You've got a nice white dress_

"Well, you've managed to get me under your spell, Miss Weasley."

Ginny felt her heart skip a beat. "Jesse."

"I'm sorry," Jesse muttered. "That was...inappropriate."

"Jesse, it's not that."

He met her eyes. "I know."

_And a party on your confirmation_

He pulled back though.

"So, Charlie?"

_You've got a brand new soul_

Ginny continued the litany of her family and friends, trying to ignore the pain that flickered through her chest.

_And a cross of gold_

Ginny rolled her shoulders to relieve tension and smiled down at her brothers.

"Hey, Fred," she whispered, kissing his forehead.

_It's a pity they didn't give you quite enough information_

She smiled as George stirred slightly. It was a sleep murmur, like REM but Ginny wanted to believe that he could hear her.

"I didn't forget about you, George."

_You didn't count on me_

"Am I interrupting?"

Ginny jumped and turned to stare at Jesse.

He held up his hands in supplication. "Sorry, Ginny."

_When you were counting on your rosary_

Ginny calmed her self. "Sorry. I usually am alone when I visit them."

_And they say there's a heaven for those who wait_

Jesse came forward, smiling. "Do you want to be alone?"

She smiled back. "You? You I don't mind."

_Some say it's better but I say it ain't_

Jesse looked down at her brothers. "So, can they hear us?"

Ginny sat on George's bed, touching his still forehead. "I like to think they can."

_I'd rather laugh with the sinners_

"So you don't know how to get them out of this?"

Ginny sighed. "There are a couple things I've tried but I guess my magic isn't good enough. I want to try with Hermione but she is always so busy."

_Than cry with the saints_

"Can I try?"

Ginny stared at him in surprise. "Why would you want to do that?"

_The sinners are much more fun..._

He shrugged. "If it works, I'll tell you later."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him but nodded. "All right."

_Darlin' only the good die young_

She sat on the edge of George's bed and gestured for him to sit on Fred's bed, facing her.

He did so, taking her hands when she held them out.

_Only the good die young_

_Only the good die young_

Ginny closed her eyes and recited the words she knew by heart. She had tried so many times. She poured all her desires into the spell, all the need to have her brothers back.

_Said your mother told you all I could give you was a reputation_

She could feel her magic tingle through her and Jesse's was there too, mixing with hers.

_She never cared for me_

The magic built until, with a gasp, it flew from her and Jesse.

Ginny remained seated, praying that this time it worked. She knew it hadn't but it was nice to hope.

_But did she ever say a prayer for me_

"Bloody hell..."

Ginny's eyes snapped open and she found herself staring into Jesse's excited blue eyes. He grinned.

_Come out_

Slowly, cautiously, Ginny turned her head.

_Come out_

George was still lying, eyes closed. His face was creased with a frown. Even as she watched, he groaned. "Merlin, my head hurts."

"Your head hurts?" came an identical mutter from behind Ginny. "Mine feels like Goyle's tap dancin' on it again."

"Again?" Jesse mouthed.

Ginny almost giggled, relief and joy warring for attention. She pulled him silently out of the room, exuberant.

_Come out Virginia, don't let me wait_

"How... Jesse! How did you do it? Why did it work for us?"

Jesse smiled. "I guess I owe you that much. It worked because I wanted it to."

"But you don't even know my brothers."

He leaned down and kissed her sweetly.

"But I know you. I wanted it to work so you would be happy."

_You Catholic girls start much too late_

Ginny stared at him for a second then reached up, capturing his lips again.

"Thank you."

_You know that only the good die young_

"You know, Miss Weasley, the Ministry doesn't condone work relationships," Jesse drawled.

_That's what I say_

Ginny giggled into his chest. "You just figure out what you're going to tell my parents when they get here," Ginny laughed before dragging him off to contact her family.

_Only the good die young_

_Only the good die young_

(A/N: Everyone should go listen to this song. It's awesome. One of the best musical intros ever. I Would Do Anything For Love beats it, but that's a given. Any way, Abernathy Whitmore, Amanda Havoc and Wraith Pitt-Rivers are all characters of mine. Wraith is a sorcerer from England who charms Abby and, as mentioned, the two fall hopelessly in love.


	21. Everything Back But You

**Everything Back But You**

Avril Lavigne

Ginny gets a note from Draco and she concludes he's cheating on her 1/3

* * *

_Today was the worst day, I went through hell_

Ginny hummed happily as she made her way to the little apartment she and Draco shared. She sighed happily as she pulled out her keys.

Only three more days, she thought.

Ginny grabbed her mail as she stepped into the small flat, looking contentedly around at the familiar space. When Draco got back from his assignment they would be able to move into that little dream house of hers.

_I wish I could remove it from my mind_

Ginny sifted through the mail briefly, smiling as her eyes caught on another letter from her father. He delighted in being able to send any of his children mail the Muggle way.

_Two months away from you but I couldn't tell_

Ginny walked into the kitchen where the Owl post was waiting on the counter. She and Draco had done their best to remove themselves from the wizarding world after the war. The wizarding world didn't understand how they could possibly be happy together. So Draco had gotten a job here in Oxford, teaching psychology and Ginny had started teaching self defense lessons. Ginny had to admit that Draco's masters and doctorate had been magically forged, as were her own creds but they were good enough that they didn't worry. Indeed, Draco was now off on a two month seminar in France, which he had been asked to guest lecture at.

Ginny was immensely proud of her boyfriend but she was rather hoping he would finally figure out that she wasn't going to wait forever for that ring.

In any case, they still got Owl mail, mostly from Hermione and Ron who were strangely okay with Ginny's choice of beau. Well, Hermione a bit more so than Ron. After the initial attempt on Draco's life when they disclosed their relationship to her family (which Ginny's martial skills deflected and left her brother in pain for quite some time), Ron had become okay with it. He would never like Draco or be happy to have him as a brother in law (hopefully), but he knew it made Hermione happy when he suffered in relative silence.

Ginny's parents, as well as Draco's sent the occasional letter. Molly Weasley still suggested men for Ginny to date while Lucius made sure to remind his son that he was cut out of the will. Narcissa was also strangely accepting and assured her son that if it came to it, she would get Lucius shit faced and 'do what needs to be done to insure that you and your lovely lady have adequate means'. Ginny also suspected that Narcissa, like her own mother, was aching for a grandchild. Molly already had Victoire through Bill and Fleur but Ginny was sure if she started popping out kids her mother would be more willing to forgive.

_I thought that everything was gonna be just fine_

Ginny quickly read her dad's letter. He assured her that Molly was warming up to the idea of pink haired babies in the future and recently had been caught sighing over her yarn while muttering/wondering which color would best suit pale skin and hair.

Ginny smiled and set her dad's letter aside. She knew better than to bring that up with Molly. Her mother would only deny it.

Ginny leafed quickly through the letters from Lucius, reading only a few words here and there.

"...shame on your good name..."

"....death and damnation follow you and your little weasel..."

"....removed from the will..."

Lucius' letters made her depressed as always. She pulled out her wand where she kept it in the liquor cabinet and quickly incinerated Lucius' letters. She had been doing this since Draco left. He didn't need to come home to a pile of letters from a bitter old man.

_The postcard that you wrote with a stupid little note_

Ginny finished going through the letters. All but a postcard were from Lucius and she took care of them. The post card, she noted with surprise, was from Draco.

It was a little weird, she thought, looking at the stereotypical picture of the Eiffel Tower on the front. She and Draco usually talked on Mondays and Fridays via fire places. Twice Ginny had Flooed out to see him and they had made sweet romantic nights of both times.

_Something wasn't quite right about it_

She was concerned about his fidelity but she was trying to be the good girlfriend here and not sound like a nosy bitch.

_It smelt like cheap perfume and it didn't smell like you_

Ginny brought the postcard to her nose but frowned. Draco had a distinct smell, a smell she knew by heart.

This didn't smell like him. It smelled like a girl.

Ginny shook off those thoughts. Surely it was just the stationary.

_There is no way you can get around it_

She flipped over the postcard, smiling at Draco's normal scrawl.

_Because you wrote_

Her smile faded when she read the words he had written.

_I wish you were her_

Ginny studied the words carefully, her heart pounding.

_You left out the "E"_

Draco never misspelled anything so why had he left out that letter?

_You left without me_

It was only a letter, Ginny told herself. It didn't mean anything. It was only a letter. Just a single letter.

_And now you're somewhere out there with a_

Tears, hot and dangerous coursed down Ginny's face.

"I hate you, Draco," she muttered.

_Bitch slut psycho babe_

"I hate you, Draco!" she screamed, slamming her hand on the counter, crumpling the postcard.

_I hate you why are guys so lame  
Everything I gave you I want everything back but you_

Ginny shoved the post card visciously into her back pocket and stormed into the spare bedroom. The room was half Gym, half sudy, with books over flowing from the already full shelves. She made a beeline for the desk.

She pulled out a parchment and quill, scratching angrily on the parchment.

_My friends tried to tell me all along_

Draco-

You sick, cunting fuck. To think I actually loved you. I can't understand how could could look at me all that time and still say I love you. I should have listened to them all. This clearly was never meant to be. I'm leaving, Draco. I hope I never see you again. Think about me next time you cheat.

Ginny

_That you weren't the right one for me_

Ginny was sobbing openly by the end of the letter. She wanted to say she didn't know why she was crying. But she knew.

_My friends tried to tell me to be strong_

Ginny, tears still coursing down her cheeks, tied the letter to the Malfoy family Owl that was always hovering around.

"Take this to Draco," Ginny sobbed.

_I bet you didn't think that I would see_

Ginny watched the owl fly off and fell into a pile, sobbing and screaming her indignities to the world.

_The postcard that you wrote with a stupid little note_

Hermione slapped away Ron's hand as it strayed towards her bum. "Stop it Ron!"

He pouted and she kissed him quickly. "You always were unencouragable."

He grinned and kissed her back. "But you love me, right?"

_Something wasn't quite right about it_

"Sometimes," she muttered against his lips.

"Sometimes?" He demanded.

Hermione just laughed.

_I wanna see you cry like I did a thousand times_

She pulled him down the hall and knocked firmly on Ginny's door. "Ginny? It's Hermione and Ron. We're comin' in!"

Ron was still pouting but his pout disappeared when there was no answer from his sister's flat. Hermione shared a concerned look with him and pulled out her wand. He moved to hide her motions and in a few seconds she had the door open.

_Yeah you're losing me, you're losing me now_

"Ginny?" Ron called out.

A muffled sound greeted them and they hurried into the spare bedroom.

_Because you wrote_

Ginny was still huddled in a ball, hugging her knees and her face was once again streaked with tears.

_I wish you were her  
You left out the "E"_

"Ginny, what happened?" Hermione asked, rushing over to her future sister in law.

Ginny gave off a sob. "Draco sent me a post card."

_You left without me_

Hermione looked at her fiance with a growing sense of horror. Ron returned her look.

"Ginny, what did it say?" Hermione asked, dreading the answer.

_And now you're somewhere out there with a  
bitch slut psycho babe_

"It said I wish you were her."

Hermione's jaw dropped, relief and guilt warring in her.

"Um Ginny..."

_I hate you why are guys so lame_

"And it smelled like another girl."

Ginny fumbled the postcard out of her back pocket and began to extend it to her brother and his fiance but something on it caught her attention.

_Everything I gave you I want everything back but you_

She drew it back to her and examined it. Hermione held her breath.

"What the hell?" Ginny muttered.

She turned the post card over, staring at the image of Ron and Hermione, as they grinned at her on the front of the post card. As Ginny watched, Ron held up a poster that said Congratulations.

Ginny flipped the post card over again, reading the three words there.

APRIL FOOLS DAY!!!!

_The postcard that you wrote with a stupid little note_

She stared at her brother in disbelief.

He mustered a weak grin. "April fools day?"

Ginny gave off a weak laugh then punched her brother in the shoulder, hard.

_Something wasn't quite right about it_

"You ass! You complete ass! Both of you did this?"

Hermione nodded. "Sorry, Ginny. we didn't think you'd take it so hard."

_It smelt like cheap perfume and it didn't smell like you  
There is no way you can get around it_

Suddenly Ginny stopped smiling, her face all at once horrified.

_Because you wrote_

"Oh, no," she muttered.

"What?" Hermione demanded.

_I wish you were her_

"I...I sent Draco a letter."

Hermione's face took on Ginny's horrified expression. "Oh, God, Ginny, you didn't!"

_You left out the "E"_

Even Ron looked taken aback by this. "Ginny...You have to go to him!"

Hermione stared at her fiance in surprise. Ron blushed slightly but leaned over and kissed Ginny's forehead. "I may not like him but he loves you and you can't let it end like this."

_You left without me  
Everything back but you  
I wish you were her  
You left out the "E"  
You left without me  
Everything back but you_

(A/N: HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY. It occured to me that I have never done a fic for this holiday. This is not the end of the fic. It shall be continued next friday in Rush. Tune in then!


	22. Rush

**Rush**

Aly and A.J.

Ginny runs to stop Draco from getting the wrong letter. Continued from Everything Back But You 2/3

* * *

_Into your head, into your mind_

Hermione immediately took control of the situation.

"Ginny, write another letter. Now. Apologize in it. Do it."

Ginny did so as Hermione pulled out her wand and stuck her head into the fire place to talk to someone. Ginny kept the letter short.

_Out of your soul, race through your veins_

Draco-

Sorry for my previous letter. Ron and Hermione were playing an April Fools joke. Disregard my previous letter and know that I love you and only you.

Ginny

_You can't escape, you can't escape._

Ginny called up an Owl and tied it to the creature's leg before returning to Hermione and Ron.

Hermione pulled her head out of the fire place, flicking back her hair.

"Okay, it's all set up. You can floo to the Paris waystation. Draco's at a conference. Here's the address. You'll have to run there. It's in the Muggle district."

Ginny threw her arms around Hermione. "I'm still pissed as hell at you both, but thank you."

_Into your life, into your dreams,_

Hermione accepted the hug. "I didn't expect you to have that reaction or we never would have done this. Now get you to your man."

_Out of the dark, sunlight again._

Ginny hugged her brother as well before stepping into the small fireplace.

"Paris."

_You can't explain, you can't explain._

_Can You feel it, can you feel it,  
Rushin' through your hair,  
Rushin' through your head,  
Can you feel it, can you feel it,_

Ginny coughed as she arrived at the little used fire place and sent up a cloud of dust.

A pair of hands pulled her gently but firmly out of the fire place, dusting her off as a French choked voice asked, "'Inny? 'Re you al'right?"

_Don't let nobody tell you, your life is over,_

Ginny stared up as Fleur Weasley smiled down at her, Bill hovering in the background.

"'Ermione di'n't tell you?" Fleur asked, helping Ginny to her feet.

_Be every color that you are,_

"Tell me what?" Ginny asked as Fleur and Bill helped her brush off the ash.

"We're the French contacts," Bill said.

_Into the rush now,_

Ginny stared at Bill in surprise then looked away. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"

Bill hugged his sister. "I know you're here for the man you love."

_You don't have to know how,_

She stared at him. "And you're...okay with that?"

_Know it all before you try._

Bill sighed. "I can't stop you Ginny and he really seems to love you. I'm okay with that. I'm not happy but I'm okay with it."

_Pulling you in, spinning you 'round,_

Ginny stared at her brother for a second then pulled him close in a fierce hug. "Thank you, Bill."

Bill returned the hug then pushed her away. "you should get going. His seminar's on the other end of town."

_Lifting your feet right off the ground,_

Ginny nodded, brushing away the vestiges of a tear. "Okay. Thanks."

Ginny hugged Fleur quickly then began to run.

_You can't believe it's happening now._

_Can You feel it, can you feel it,  
Rushin' through your hair,  
Rushin' through your head,  
Can you feel it, can you feel it, _

Ginny's breath came easily though her heart pounded, faster than her running indicated. She had to get there in time.

_Don't let nobody tell you, your life is over,_

The French men and women looked at her briefly as she ran but quickly let her slip from their minds.

_Be every color that you are,_

Ginny felt tears prick at her eyes again, and ran faster. She couldn't cry. Not now, not now. Her letter had to get to Draco.

_Into the rush now,  
You don't have to know how,  
Know it all before you try._

The Wizarding half of Paris turned into the Muggle half, crowded with tourists and Muggles. Ginny had to slow down as she woze between the Muggles and the stitch growing in her side. No one seemed to notice the tiredness of her or the tears coursing down her freckled cheeks. She wondered if Hermione had put an illusion on her and resolved to ask Hermione about it.

_It takes you to another place, imagine everything you can._

Don't forget me, Draco. Don't forget out love. I love you. I love you. I love you.

_All the colors start to blend,_

The three words skipped through Ginny's brain as her feet pounded over and over. She just had to get there in time.

_Your system overloads again._

Ginny nearly cried with relief when she saw the street she was looking for. She put on an extra burst of speed, rounding corners as sweat trickled down her brow.

_Can You feel it?  
Don't let nobody tell you, your life is over,  
Be every color that you are,  
Into the rush now,  
You don't have to know how,  
Know it all before you try._

She burst into the building. The French fellow at the front desk sneered at her in disgust.

"Can I 'elp you?" He sneered.

Ginny had had much experience with sneers, especially from Draco and the fellow's tone of voice rolled off her like drops of water.

_Don't let nobody tell you,_

"I need to see Draco Malfoy."

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

The man sneered at her. "I'm afraid I am not able to give you that information."

_Don't let nobody tell you,_

His tone finally got to her and she reached over the counter and took him by the front of his shirt, pulling him close. "Listen to me, you arrogant prick. You either find my boyfriend for me or you find another orfice to piss from, got it?"

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

He swallowed, paler than even her boyfriend. "All right, Miss. I'll take you to him."

_Don't let nobody tell you, your life is over,_

Ginny nodded, letting him go. He moved quickly from the desk and led the way.

_Be every color that you are,_

Ginny wanted to run, to make him run, but he was actually helping her so she forced herself to keep his pace.

_Into the rush now,_

They approached a pair of double doors and he threw them open. Before her stood Draco. He was talking to someone and looking happy. Ginny thanked whatever god was smiling on her today and started forward only to freeze when a young man came up and handed Draco a letter. Ginny's heart froze as she recognized the yellow parchment of her letter.

Her hands fluttered to her lips as he read it. His face changed from happy to concerned to confused hurt.

She gasped and Draco looked over at her, the confused pain on his face. Ginny released a sob and turned, tearing from the room.

_You don't have to know how,  
Know it all before you try _

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

(A/N: Not over yet. One more chapter for this sequence. Tune in next week! Now go listen to this song.


	23. Rainbows in the Dark

**Rainbows in the Dark**

Tilly and the Wall

Ginny can't stop crying. Continued from Rush 3/3 Note: stuff in {} is memories

* * *

_One, two, three, four!_

Ginny was crying and remembering. She was remembering that love hurt.

She was also remembering every perfect moment she spent with Draco.

_I was kidnaped real young by the sweet taste of love_

The moment she had first known they were right for each other:

{Draco, so nervous despite his normal arrogance, coming to her that day after Quidditch.

"So, Weasley, I think I might like you."

Her heart had swelled nearly to the point of bursting and she had gone onto her tiptoes to kiss him once. She still remembered the salty taste of his sweat touched lips as she sealed her fate.}

_Built a fondness for things that just weren't good enough_

She had known how this love would go and she had taken it any way. She loved Draco and now she had lost him.

The tears started again as she thought about every sweet moment that she had carelessly thrown away in her anger and haste.

_I cradled the crow, always shooed off the dove_

That first kiss had been wonderful but nowhere near as great as that second stolen kiss.

_Which tagged me a naïve son_

{It had been at the Yule Ball. They had been dating on the sly for almost a year then and while they had both desperately wanted to take each other, they had both known that it wasn't to be done. Their relationship was too new, too fragile, even after a year, for it to withstand something so public.

So Draco had taken Pansy and Ginny had blackmailed Neville into taking her. As the dances progressed, Draco found excuses to dance near her and Neville, whispering things into her ear as she danced beside him.

But it had been after the ball that Draco had truly won her heart forever.

Ginny had hung around til the very end, calming an irate Ron and soothing a wounded Hermione.

Finally everyone had left and she had been able to take her moment to herself.

That was when the music started up again.}

_So the fortunate kids, yeah they left on their lights_

{The Weird Sisters were still on stage, now playing Ginny's favorite song, a slow Muggle tune but not singing.

Draco had appeared then, taking her hands in his and holding her close as he whisper/sang the words to her.

She had kissed him then and everything in the world had been right for those moments.}

_And they stuck up their noses and started some fights_

That world of happiness, that world of perfectly amazing love and trust. Never was a world so abused as that one and yet they had made it through.

_Their parents all cackled at dirt on my hands_

She remembered bitter moments as well. The first time Draco took her home to meet his parents. The accusing shouts, the spells and potions Lucius tried towards her. It had been hard and terrible but Draco had held her hand and the pain faded and the love blossomed.

_While my father was slaving, my mother explained it_

_Sometimes that's just how it is_

Finally that night had ended with Narcissa, sober for the first time in years, slapping her husband and snarling that he would drive their son away. Narcissa's acceptance had been half hearted but Ginny appreciated it. It was a lot better than when her parents found out.

_So my sister went kissing a maple-skinned boy_

_Finally held up her fists, said "I'm done being coy!"_

Molly had nearly killed Ginny when she found out. To this day Ginny wasn't sure what upset her mother more: the fact that Ginny was dating Draco or the fact that Molly hadn't orchestrated this wonderful union.

Molly had screamed about betrayal and loyalty to family and Ginny had screamed about true love.

_And the neighbourhood boys started buzzing with joy_

Arthur had tried to talk sense into Ginny and she had threatened to leave the family.

_We finally had front-page news_

_Although it was sad, I couldn't help but laugh_

Ginny had laughed the next day when she and Draco had been on the front page of every wizarding paper. The laughter had disolved into tears and the rest of that day was spent in Draco's arms.

_Such ridiculous hate in the hot summer sweat_

The blind hate of her family had nearly killed her in those early days as they struggled with what to do. Finally the teaching position had opened and Draco had taken it and taken them away from the hate.

I_ laid on my back, let the punk record spin_

_The stomping guitar, it was shooting out stars_

More moments flooded Ginny and the tears and sobs began anew.

_It all went to my heart, yeah some rainbows in the dark_

{Draco, fists on his hips as he smirked at her. She was flat on her ass and laughing despite herself.

"Did Snape know how much this detention would really make me suffer?" Draco asked, helping her to her feet.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "There is that temptation to sully your maiden honor."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Sully away."}

_So I called up danger, my friends and some strangers_

{"Parkinson, give me back my bag!"

"What's wrong, Weasel? Can't stand having your second hand germs infect the rest of the world? But come to think of it, this bag looks much too nice to be yours."

"I'll take that, Parkinson," Draco said, deftly taking the bag from her hands.

Pansy smirked, sure that Draco would defend her and flounced off.

"May I have my bag back?" Ginny asked, a smile creeping into her voice.

Draco smiled at her. "I think I'll hold onto it for a little while."

"Really? Then..." she deftly unlatched his cape and took it from his shoulders. "I'll just have to take this for...collateral."

Draco grinned and pinned it on her. "You look good in green, pixie girl."}

_They stumbled and wavered, one called me his saviour_

{"I can't be a hero, Ginny!"

Ginny said nothing, just watched him silently. He continued to pace then looked at her. "It's bad enough I love you. If my father found out that I refused to fight in the battle, he wouldn't even hesitate."

Ginny sighed and threw herself at Draco. He stumbled and fell back onto the couch, Ginny's lips against his.

While he was distracted, she slipped the handcuff onto his hand. Draco heard the click and pulled back from the kiss. "Ginny..."

"Now you have an excuse to miss that fight," she whispered.

He laughed and kissed her again. "Thank you. Out of curiosity, though, where did you get the handcuffs?"

Ginny grinned. "Hermione."

She laughed as he shuddered then leaned down to kiss him again.}

_They slipped me the blood in the whole of the vial_

_But I didn't feel them change_

{Ginny studied Harry, wondering if he knew how silly he looked. Really, he wasn't nearly as handsome as some others she could mention...}

_Then I met a man with a fist for a hand_

_Held me flat on my back, taught me how to give in_

{"Are you nervous?"

Ginny hugged herself. She was, but not for the reason he thought she was. He was worried one of her brothers would come in despite the fact that they were all off in France for the weekend with her parents. She was nervous that once this was over he wouldn't want her any more.

As if reading her thoughts, he kissed her as he slid gently into her. "I will always love you, Ginny."}

_Some phrases were shot, pretty roses got tossed_

{Roses on the bed the next morning. Ginny awoke alone but covered in roses and a simple note.

I still love you.}

_The gift of a fat-lipped grin_

Ginny heard some noise but refused to rouse herself enough to care.

_Now they're drilling my teeth while I'm soiling sheets_

Voices became distinct and audible.

_With my lover, she's counting the diamonds on rings_

_And even when truth doesn't help with the sting_

"Here?"

"Yeah. She's been...well she kinda screamed at me earlier. Go to her at your own risk, mate."

_Out of no numbers, some harsh looking colour_

_You pull them out, feel they're changed_

"Yeah, that sounds like her."

_No need for a thousand cranes_

_So I thank the city, the lights that it's spinning_

In her state it took Ginny a few moments to recognize the voices. Bill and Draco.

She snapped her head up and found herself staring at Draco.

_The friends that I have and the shoes we're not shining_

"Ginny..."

"Go away," she choked out. "I already know that you hate me."

_The drunk horn's so violent, all spinning out sounds_

"What the hell are you talking about?"

_But the colour's so vibrant , the colour's so loud_

"I accused you of cheating," she sniffed.

"When?"

_The newly-born crying realizing what life is_

Ginny looked up at Draco, looking for signs that he was messing with her. He seemed sincere.

_In the eyes of my grandpa, the right people dying_

"In my letter."

_The see-saw of love, its rickety bounce_

"This letter?"

Ginny looked at the letter he held out and nodded. Then something caught her eye. She snatched the letter from his hand.

_The feeling of coming, the feeling of going_

Draco-

Sorry for my previous letter. Ron and Hermione were playing an April Fools joke. Disregard my previous letter and know that I love you and only you.

Ginny

_The mother, the child, the tame and the wild_

"What...what?" she gasped.

He smiled down at her.

_The sleeping in minor, the gold leaf, the tire_

"You can understand why I was a little confused."

Confused. That was the look on his face.

_The crooked, the straight, all the hip and the fake_

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

Ginny laughed once then told him about the prank. He looked a little hurt.

"Ginny...you didn't trust me?"

"Everyone I've loved has lied to me. I thought you were no different."

_Oh, I'm finally feeling the stitching of beautiful seams_

Draco took her in his arms and held her.

_Sometimes you just can't hold back the river_

"I do have one question..." Ginny began.

"What's that?"

"Well...Hermione and Ron said congradulations..."

Draco blushed. "Yeah, well, they thought I had already done this..."

_Sometimes you just can't hold back the river_

Ginny stared at him as he pulled away and knelt, holding out a small velvet box. A ring sized box.

"Oh, my god."

"Is that a yes?"

_Sometimes you just can't hold back the river_

It sure as hell was.

_Sometimes you just can't hold back the river_

_Hold back the river, hold back the river, hold back the river_

THE END!

A/N: hope it was worth the delay! My sister came down and I ran out of time to write this one last fri. I hope you can forgive me! Thanks to Narcissa Rae for introducing me to this band. GO LISTEN THEM!


	24. Should Have Said No

**Should Have Said No**

Taylor Swift

Summary: Request for Oxymoron8. There are many things he should have said that night. It just never occurred to him that "no" was one of them. DA, DG, AB

* * *

_It's strange to think the songs we used to sing_

Draco knew he was going to regret most of what he did tonight. He wasn't sure why he had let Blaise talk him into coming to the party. He had known he would regret this night and he was probably going to beat Blaise senseless before the night was over.

The good news was that he had over three shots in him already so if he killed Blaise tonight, he could blame the alcohol.

Throwing back the fourth shot of jagermeister, he reflected that he probably wouldn't kill Blaise. After all, it was Blaise's tab he was drinking on and killing him meant he would have to pick up the slack.

_The smiles, the flowers, everything: is gone_

A pleasant buzz was settling in and Draco decided maybe he should try to get out early. The sooner he left, the less likely it was that one of these bottle blonds would try to jump his bones. Sure he and Astoria weren't on the best of terms right now, but it didn't mean he wanted to cheat on her. Especially not when he was shitfaced. Which he was well on his way to becoming.

_Yesterday I found out about you_

Blaise suddenly seemed to appear. He was weaving dangerously so and Draco had the suspicion that his DD was not so sober.

"Blaise..." he began.

"Hey, Drake! Whasss up?"

"Blaise are you drunk?"

"If I say no will youbelieve me?" Blaise slurred, grinning madly.

_Even now just looking at you: feels wrong_

"Damnit all to hell, Blaise!" Draco roared. "You're the fucking designated driver here!"

"I can ssstil drive!" Blaise snapped.

"You can't even stand up straight!"

_You say that you'd take it all back, given one chance_

"Cause I'm drunk!" Blaise returned.

"No shit! Dammit Blaise!"

"Well hot girls were offering body shots! What the hell was I supposed to say?"

_It was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

"No, Blaise. You should have said no!"

_You should've said no, you should've gone home_

"Shit," Draco muttered, his inebriated mind trying to force itself into a sober thinking state.

_You should've thought twice before you let it all go  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her_

_Would get back to me..._

"Now what the fuck do I do?" He asked the room at large.

"I can give you a ride."

_And I should've been there, in the back of your mind_

Draco turned to see Ginny Weasley standing, her silver car keys dangling from one finger. She looked wonderfully sober but Draco hesitated. He would be lying if he said he had never once considered her that way. She was hot and he was a little drunk. But she had keys.

_I shouldn't be asking myself why_

He took a deep breath and then said...

_You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

"All right, Ginny. Take me home."

_You can see that I've been crying_

Ginny did not have a car, Draco found out. She had a Vespa.

"You're kidding me."

She grinned at him. "Not at all. Hop on."

"Weasley...I can't ride on that!"

She cocked her head. "Why not?"

_And baby you know all the right things: to say_

"Because I'm drunk! Really, really drunk."

"You mean to say four shots of jager and the great Draco Malfoy loses his nerve."

"I haven't lost my nerve. I just happen to have a realistic idea of what I'm capable of when drunk. And staying on a Vespa is not one of them."

_But do you honestly expect me to believe_

She sighed. "Fine. Only one thing for it."

She dug into the compartment of her Vespa and pulled out a small green bottle of a potion. "Bottoms up."

_We could ever be the same..._

"What is this?" He asked, catching it.

"Basic sobriety potion. You'll have a bitch of a hangover but you should be able to stay on the bike."

_You say that the past is the past, you need one chance_

Draco eyed her with distrust but downed the drink. A moment later his vision became clearer but his head began to pound.

"Oh, shit, that hurts."

_It was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

Ginny laughed and handed him another potion.

_You should've said no, you should've gone home_

"What's this?" He asked.

"Hangover potion. You didn't really think I'd be that much of a bitch, did you?"

"Don't know. You could be getting vengence for your brother."

"Let him do that himself. I've got nothing against you."

_You should've thought twice before you let it all go_

Draco refrained from commenting on that one and downed the second potion. His head ache receeded and he looked at the bike with new curiosity. Now that he wasn't in danger of falling off the thing, he found it was a very lovely machine. It would be a tight squeeze, but they would both fit.

_You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me..._

"So," Ginny asked, pulling out a helmet and handing it to him. "Where to?"

He rattled off the address, promising directions if she needed them.

_And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why_

"Sounds like a plan. Only..."

"Only what?"

She was on the bike, her head down and there was a faint blush on her cheeks. "Well, you could come to my place...if you want."

_You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

Draco stared at her and opened his mouth. As much as he wanted to, he found the inconvienent truth slipping out of his mouth instead.

"Sorry, but I have a girlfriend."

_I can't resist... before you go, tell me this_

She nodded. "Should have known. Oh well. Can't blame a girl for trying. Hop on."

_Was it worth it..._

Draco had been in more awkward situations but he couldn't remember a single one as he held onto Ginny's waist and they hurtled through the night.

_Was she worth this..._

Finally he was saying goodbye as she slipped a business card into his hand. "Should you need me," she grinned.

_No... no no no..._

Draco watched her until she was well out of sight, staring at the place he had last seen her. He looked down at the card and laughed.

'Good to know you're not a complete ass hole' it read then was followed by what he assumed was Ginny's home number.

_You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go_

Ginny was still on Draco's mind as he mounted the stairs to his flat and he didn't notice the strewn clothes until it was almost too late.

_You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me..._

He almost tripped on a familiar looking pair of combat boots and finally took stock of his living room. Clothes were everywhere and at first he just figured Astoria had had another fit. He bent to pick up some of the clothes but stopped when he realized the boots weren't his.

_And I should've been there, in the back of your mind  
I shouldn't be asking myself why_

He stared down at them, a sick dread growing in his stomach. He said nothing as he went into the bedroom, only flicked on the lights.

Astoria stared out at him in horror from behind Blaise's bare shoulders. Blaise pulled back and stared as well. He sure as hell wasn't drunk now, Draco thought.

_You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

Draco saw what had happened. Blaise had pretended to be drunk to get Draco out of the way. Now... now...

"Draco, I can explain," Astoria cried out.

"That's okay," Draco muttered.

_You should've said no, you should've gone home  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go_

"Draco..." Blaise began.

"Blaise? Shut your fucking hole. I'll be back for my things in the morning."

_You should've know that word, bout what you did with her  
Would get back to me..._

"Draco!" Astoria cried out but he was gone.

_And I should've been there, in the back of your mind_

Ginny pulled the helmet off her head and stepped off her Vespa. Through the windows of the all night diner, she could see Draco, sipping a cup of coffee.

She walked into the diner and sat down opposite him.

_I shouldn't be asking myself why_

"So, what's the story?"

Draco looked up at her and smiled. "How about I buy you a cup of coffee and we spend the night convincing me to get over my cheating girlfriend?"

Ginny smiled back. "Two creams, one sugar."

_You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...  
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me_


	25. Call Me When You're Sober

Call Me When You're Sober

Evanescence

Ginny is sick of Blaise calling her for booty calls. Especially since he never seems to be sober.

* * *

_Don't cry to me_

Ginny ground her teeth together and hung up her cell phone. Hermione looked at her partner as she pulled off her surgical mask.

"Something wrong?"

Ginny forced a smile on her face. "Nothing big."

"Not this surgery, I hope," Hermione said.

"No, I felt it went well."

_If you loved me,_

It had too. Ginny and Hermione weren't the youngest surgeons at St. Mungo's for nothing. The surgery, a routine appendectomy had been child's play and had gone off without a hitch.

No, the message on her phone when she came out of the sterile environment had more than shattered her good feelings.

_You would be here with me._

"Ginny? What is it?"

"Nothing, Hermione."

"Bullshit."

"Hermione!"

"Oh, don't give me that," Hermione said, stripping off her surgical gown and throwing it in the trash. "Something's been bothering you."

_You want me,_

Ginny sighed. "You're right."

"Come on. Out with it. You're one of the top surgeons in the UK. I think you can talk to me about whatever is bothering you."

Ginny sighed and pulled on her doctor's coat, dropping the cell into the pocket as she did so. Hermione narrowed her eyes and pulled out her own wand. "Accio!"

Ginny cried out as Hermione snatched the phone from the air.

_Come find me._

Hermione ignored Ginny's protests and hit the send button. Ginny's voice mailbox came up and Hermione glanced at Ginny.

Ginny sighed and provided the password.

_Make up your mind._

"Ginny?" Blaise sounded much more drunk on speakerphone than he had when Ginny had listened to the message herself.

"Ginny? Are…are you there? I wanna have sex. In-_ter_-course. Can we? When you gettin' off? Ginny? Giiiiiiiiinny."

Hermione looked at Ginny. Ginny felt her face was hot enough to fry an egg on. To make it worse, Hermione began to giggle.

_Should I let you fall?_

"It's not funny," Ginny protested weakly.

"I know it's not," Hermione managed around her amusement. "And I'm sorry but…okay, it's a little funny to me."

_Lose it all?_

Ginny sighed. Hermione was the only person in her sphere of home and work that knew about her and Blaise and even Hermione didn't know it all.

"So…Blaise expects sex when you get home?"

Ginny sighed, grabbing a pair of plastic gloves and shoving them in her coat pocket. "You don't know the half of it."

"So tell me."

_So maybe you can remember yourself._

"Okay, so you remember that party over Christmas, right? The one where Draco Malfoy got smashed and started hitting on _all_ the shareholders?"

Hermione giggled. Malfoy was the CEO of St. Mungo's now and while he still had his moments of 'let's play asshole!' he knew what he was doing. The funny part of the story stemmed from the fact that over half of the shareholders for St. Mungo's were men.

"I think I remember that. That was only five months ago, Ginny."

_Can't keep believing,_

"Well, you know that I ran into Blaise there. I was a little tipsy and he was trashed. One thing led to another and…we did it."

"Okay. With you so far."

"I was actually okay with it. Only…it wasn't just the once."

"How many times are we talking about here?"

"Seventeen."

_We're only deceiving ourselves ._

Hermione whistled.

"I know! I know! And I would totally call it off only…the sex is really amazing."

"How amazing?"

"If someone ever made a baklava cheesecake, they would call it Sex with Blaise."

"Damn."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed glumly.

_And I'm sick of the lie,_

"Okay, wait. Why are you so upset? So all you have going is sex between the two of you. Who the fuck cares? Just keep having sex until you find someone better. Or at least, pretty close. Then break it off."

"That's all fine, Hermione, but the thing that really gets to me is…He only calls me when he's drunk."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

_And you're too late._

Hermione looked at her surgery partner. Ginny was looking depressed.

Hermione tried to put herself in Ginny's shoes. Ginny hadn't liked a lot of guys since Harry died in the war. She had thrown herself into her work which landed her here, as the youngest attending every to grace any magical hospital.

It did help that Ginny was fantastic at what she did.

_Don't cry to me._

But Hermione had noticed a distraction in Ginny tonight. Oh, she had performed perfectly but she had seemed distant.

_If you loved me,  
You would be here with me._

If Ginny wanted a sober booty call bad enough to let it effect her performance, then Hermione owed it to herself and to Ginny to get her that booty call.

_You want me,  
Come find me._

Of course Hermione knew it was much more than that but that was Blaise's problem.

_Make up your mind._

"Ginny, I think I might have a plan."

_

* * *

_

Couldn't take the blame.

Blaise heaved an exaggerated sigh as Ginny opened the front door and stepped into his apartment.

"Fiiiiinally!" he slurred.

Ginny closed the door behind it and stood there. He pushed himself up on the couch where he lay. It faced the door and he could see her perfectly in the hall light. She was beautiful as usual and he itched to bury his hands in those crimson curls and hear her cry out his name.

_Sick with shame._

"Well?" he drawled. "Com'on."

She took a deep breath then said…

"No."

_Must be exhausting to lose your own game._

Blaise swung his feet over to the ground, looking at her curiously. "No?"

"No."

"I see. And what the fuck does that mean?"

She took another deep breath. Much as this was annoying Blaise, he couldn't help but notice the effect those breaths had on her rather lovely cleavage.

"It means, I'm not having sex with you."

_Selfishly hated,  
No wonder you're jaded._

"The fuck, you say? Look, get over here and get naked. We're having sex."

"No. Well, to part of that anyway."

_You can't play the victim this time,_

Blaise looked at her.

"Don't give me that look. You've had this coming for a while now. So shut up and listen."

She paused then grinned at him and he did not like that grin. "And to make sure you're paying attention…"

She pulled off her jacket, slowly and sensuously.

Ginny suddenly had Blaise's undivided attention.

_And you're too late._

"Now, Blaise. I'm sick of these booty calls."

"That's not what you said last night," he leered.

"Shut up or I'll put the jacket back on."

Blaise shut up.

_Don't cry to me._

"Now, I'm not saying I'm sick of having sex with you. You're…well, you're great."

Blaise wisely said nothing.

_If you loved me,_

"I'm sick of you calling me when you're fucking trashed."

"Ginny…"

"Still talking. It's taken me a while to get to this and I'm not going to be side tracked."

_You would be here with me._

"I don't mind having sex with you. As I said, you are fantastic and I like to think you like having sex with me too. But the thing is, I'm not going to be your booty call bitch. And I'm not going to keep coming here if you're drunk every time you want to have sex with me."

_You want me,  
Come find me._

"Do you honestly not know how that makes a girl feel? We feel like shit, Blaise. I mean you have to be utterly drunk to even consider having sex with me? That's not a compliment, Blaise!"

_Make up your mind._

"So here's the deal. You are only allowed to call me when you're sober. Do you understand?"

_You never call me when you're sober._

"I'm not kidding either. If you're not sober next time you call me…What the hell are you laughing at?"

_You only want it cause it's over,  
It's over._

Blaise was doubled over in laughter. At Ginny's final words, he straightened up and walked over to her. "I'm sorry to laugh at you, Ginny, but there's something I need to tell you as well."

_How could I have burned paradise?  
How could I - you were never mine._

"What's that?" she snapped.

He grinned down at her. "I'm not drunk. I wasn't drunk when I called you. In fact, other than that first time, I've never been drunk when I called you."

_So don't cry to me._

Ginny stared at him. "What?"

"I was afraid you would think that I was cuter when I was drunk. I wanted you bad and the only thing I knew was that when I was drunk you couldn't resist me. So I started pretending. And it worked. I am sorry I've given you the wrong impression."

_If you loved me,  
You would be here with me._

Ginny just stared at him. "Oh."

He chuckled. "Now then, with that little confession out of the way, how about you show me just how good you are at removing the rest of those clothes."

_Don't lie to me,  
Just get your things._

"Oh, and I think it's about time in our relationship that I told you I would be delighted if you would move in with me."

Ginny laughed. Still laughing, she threw her arms around his neck and let him carry her back into the bedroom.

_I've made up your mind._

(A/N: I'm working on making a recipe for baklava cheesecake. Doesn't it sound good? I have to say it felt great to write another one of these. It's been too long. Hope you guys liked it. It kinda changed tracks on me while I was writing it but I'm still happy with how it turned out.


	26. Desperado

Title: Desperado

Summary: One man leaves her while the other comes to his senses. H/G D/G

Disclaimer: Eagles own Desperado and JK owns Harry, Ginny and Draco

Ginny raced after him. She couldn't let him go. Not now.

"Harry!" She screamed through the wind and rain. Tears slid down her cheeks. "Harry!" she screamed again.

He turned, his eyes meeting hers. "Go back, Ginny."

"Damnit, Harry! Please!" she cried out, reaching him. She moved to throw her arms around him but he stopped her with a hand.

"Go back, Ginny. I can't love you."

"Harry, please! Stop trying to push me away! The war's over! You don't have to protect me any more!" she sobbed

_Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? _

Harry pushed her away hard. She fell, splayed out in the mud. She looked up at him through a rain soaked face, the pain and confusion almost unbearable.

"I can't love you, Ginny. Because I don't. Not any more."

Ginny stared after him as he left her, tears and mud coating her.

_You been out riding fences for so long now_

Draco lifted an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" he asked with as much politeness as he could.

Pansy set down the glass with a calculated poise. "I'm sure you heard me just fine."

"I don't think I did," Draco growled. He motioned to the small velvet box in his hands that held a four carat diamond ring. "You see, I asked you to marry me. And you're supposed to say yes."

She smirked down at him. "And I'm saying no. Now get up from there, you look like an idiot."

He gaped at her and rose to his feet. He didn't retake his chair but put the ring back in his pocket. "Why the hell not?"

She sipped her wine. "Draco, you're a nice kid. But I need more than that. Don't get me wrong. You were fun. But I don't want to get any further than that."

_Oh, you're a hard one_

"I do not fucking believe this," he muttered. He turned and walked towards the door.

"Draco? We can still have sex. I mean-"

He spun to face her. "No, Parkinson, we can't. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go get drunk enough to forget that I just spent the last three years of my life with a bull dog. Mmk?"

And, feeling marginally better, he turned and marched out.

_I know that you got your reasons_

Draco turned his collar to the rain as he stormed down the lane. Bloody bitch. She thought she could turn him away. Fuck her. He could have half a dozen girls begging him for it in three hours if he chose to.

He stormed by a picket fence then stopped. He retraced his steps, flicking wet hair from his eyes.

A young woman was kneeling in the mud, clinging to the fence desperately as sobs wracked her thin frame. Her hair, made wine red in the rain and the touch of mud, clung to a pretty face, covered in freckles.

"Weasley?" he whispered.

She didn't respond. He walked over and carefully touched her shoulder. Her skin was freezing and this close he could see that not all of her shaking was from her tears. She had to be freezing.

He straightened. It was none of his concern. If she wanted to get sick and die out here, who was he to stop her?

But he wouldn't move. He tried to leave, but he couldn't. He growled at himself and scooped the frail girl into his arms.

_These things that are pleasin' you_

He was surprised how light she was. She twisted in his arms to raise those deep brown eyes, just touched with flecks of cinnamon, to look at him.

"Malfoy?" she whispered.

He felt his cheeks flush and looked away. "Yeah, don't get bloody used to it, Weasley. I just don't think your parents would like it if you died just now."

Her eyes filled with tears and she turned her head to his chest, grasping handfuls of his shirt and crying.

_Can hurt you somehow_

The house elves were all in a flutter when Draco arrived. They had been expecting that Pansy would accompany him home and when a different girl did, they were a little flustered. Not to mention Ginny's state of being.

Draco growled at them. They stopped immediately.

"Draw up a hot bath. And ready a room. Miss Weasley will be staying the night."

Draco left them in their flurry as he mounted the stairs, still holding Ginny.

_Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy_

He set her down in the bathroom as the house elves ran the bath water. He threw aside his wet jacket and took off his shirt. Ginny, who was staring blankly, suddenly realized he was shirtless and her cheeks lit with flames.

He couldn't resist a smile. He pulled on another, dry cotton button up. His father had tried to get him to wear silk and Armani, but around the house, Draco found cotton much more practical.

The bath was full now and he set a few towels out. He pulled Ginny to her feet.

"Now, I'm not going to try and sleep with you or anything, but I do need to get you out of those wet clothes," he said gently.

Ginny blinked and met his eyes. For a moment he was lost in those dark brown eyes then she nodded. Still she made no move to undress herself.

He felt his cheeks flame when he realized he would have to do it for her. He reached out and gently took off the light jacket she was wearing.

Next he sat her on the rim of the tub and teased her out of the sneakers and socks she was wearing. He stood her up again, fingers shaking slightly as he worked her jeans. He slid them softly down her long freckled legs. He wanted to hurt someone. Ginny was a good kid from what he remembered. Who ever hurt her like this deserved something in the line of Crucio.

_She'll beat you if she's able_

He hesitated as he neared her short button up teeshirt. Then he ran his fingers down the buttons. She shuddered, her cheeks flaring again and unconsciously leaned closer to him.

For the first time he realized he could have her right here and now if he wanted to. But for some reason, getting her in that bath was more important. He flicked open the first button, his breath catching at the delicate curve of her collarbone. From there it ran down to her nice breasts. He took the buttons slowly, feeling blood rush to certain places and trying to control it. Finally she was standing there in a bra and under wear.

He hesitated again then decided she needed the bra off. He reached behind her, his chest brushing deliciously against hers. He unsnapped her bra but decided to leave her her panties. He took her in his arms again and lowered her gently into the water.

She sat there stoically as he washed her back and her long dark hair.

"What happened?" he finally asked.

_You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet_

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "He... he doesn't love me... I... I always knew, I guess. But ... I wanted Happily ever after. So I kept pretending. Was that wrong?"

Draco thought about his relationship with Pansy. He had known for a while that it was over. But he kept at it. He wanted the happily Ever After too.

"No. Everyone just wants that, Gin. Even me."

She returned her gaze to the water. "Guess we have something in common after all."

_Now it seems to me, some fine things  
Have been laid upon your table_

Draco smiled. "You could say that. Let's get you to bed, Gin."

She helped him considerably as he got her out of the bath. He wrapped her in a cotton bathrobe and led her to the room the elves had set up for her.

"This was my mother's room. There's clothes in the dresser that should fit you. I'll give your parents a call and let them know you're safe."

She nodded. "Thank you. For everything."

Draco smiled slightly. "Don't mention it."

_But you only want the ones that you can't get_

Draco brought Ginny down to the kitchen for breakfast the next day. She was wearing a light green button up shirt and black slacks from his mother's wardrobe. She was feeling better and looked better too.

_Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger_

She gave him a slight smile as they ate their breakfast.

"So what had you out in last night's storm?" she asked.

He shrugged, reluctant to talk about it. She fixed him a look. "Come on, I talked about my pathetic issues."

"They're not pathetic."

She blinked, "Thanks."

_Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home_

"Well, not that pathetic at any rate," he amended.

"You still haven't answered me."

He sighed, "Well, the girl I thought I wanted to marry didn't want to marry me. I guess I was trying to distract myself from the fact that I wanted to spend my life with a brat like her."

Ginny gave him a smile, "Now was that so bad?"

"You have no idea."

_And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talking_

Draco watched Ginny eat. She was a dainty eater and he found himself smiling.

_Your prison is walking through this world all alone_

"What?" Ginny said, looking up to see him smiling. He shook his head.

_Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?  
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine_

"It's nothing. Eat up so I can take you home."

_Its hard to tell the night time from the day  
You're loosin' all your highs and lows  
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?_

They stood on the porch of her parent's house. He looked up at it. "You still live with your parents?"

"You have a problem with that?" she asked, an edge coming into her tone. He smiled and shook his head.

_Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?  
Come down from your fences, open the gate_

She turned to the door but he held onto her arm. "Hey…maybe I could call you some time…?"

_It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you  
You better let somebody love you,_

She smiled at him. "I'd like that.

_Before it's too late_

(A/N: I feel like I rushed the ending to this one a little bit but I really just wanted to get a fic out there. I still like it.


	27. You Don't Bring Me Flowers

You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Barbra Striesand and Neil Diamond

Ginny can feel the strain that her job is putting on her relationship with Draco. WARNING: sad ending coming through here.

(A/N: Once again, Girl part in italics, boy part in bold. Any questions?)

_You don't bring me flowers  
You don't sing me love songs_

Ginny cracked her knuckles and looked at the papers before her. "This is going to be a hard job," she said to her partner.

Draco looked up briefly from his paperwork. "I know, but we'll manage."

Ginny looked up at him. She wanted to say more, wanted to bring him back to her but she couldn't quite do it.

**You hardly talk to me anymore  
When you come thru the door  
At the end of the day**

"Ginny?"

Ginny snapped out of her thoughts and faced Hermione. "Sorry, Mione."

"How are things? You've been distracted lately."

Ginny sighed. "It's...well, it's Draco."

Hermione winced. Ginny's relationship with Draco was a sore subject in the Weasley family. Hermione was accepting of it but she seemed to think that Ginny should give up the relationship or else ask for a different work partner.

"Work Draco, or home Draco?"

Ginny sighed. "That's the problem. The two seem to be becoming harder and harder to separate."

"What are you going to do?"

Ginny remained silent because she didn't know.

_I remember when  
You couldn't wait to love me_

Ginny glanced at Draco over the table. Dinner had been eaten in silence. Though he was sitting only a few feet away from her, Ginny felt further away than when they had been in school. He hadn't been the Ice King in years and she had begun to think that that side of him was gone forever.

Ginny shook herself out of her memories. Draco had his head down, looking at papers.

She got to her feet and crossed to behind him. She put her hands on his shoulders and rubbed them softly. He didn't turn to her but he didn't push her away.

She leaned down and nuzzled his neck.

"Not now, Ginny," he said, his voice thick with some emotion she couldn't place.

She let her hands drop and stepped back. "All right," she muttered. "Get to bed soon, Draco. We have a big day tomorrow."

_Used to hate to leave me  
Now after lovin me late at night_

Ginny lay in the bed, crying silent tears. Draco could see their shine in the darkness of the room. He longed to go to her and comfort her, to tell her everything was going to be all right.

But he couldn't do that. He couldn't promise her anything, knowing that tomorrow he might very well die.

**When it's good for you  
And you're feelin' alright**

Ginny strapped on her belt, tightening it again. She looked down at it, sighing. She was losing weight again. She seemed to do this every time she stressed and she stressed more and more often lately.

She pulled on her jacket, a long flowing thing that would mark her as an Auror.

"You ready?" Draco asked.

She looked over at him. "As I'll ever be."

_Well you just roll over  
And turn out the light_

"Ginny..."

She looked at him.

"This is it," he said. "After tonight, it will be over."

Ginny felt her blood chill. "Oh...okay," she said in a very small voice.

_And you don't bring me flowers anymore_

Ginny's heart was in her throat as she stepped into the broom room. Her broom, a Lightning Storm lay on the racks. There were only two Lightning Storms in the whole Ministry: hers and Draco's. Hers was a gift from Draco, their anniversary present from the previous year.

Ginny ran her hands over the familiar lines of the broom and wondered if she could ever ride it again.

**It used to be so natural**

"Ready?" Draco asked, mounting his own broom.

Ginny nodded. "Let's do this," she said, and mounted her own broom.

_**To talk about forever**_

The fight had begun before they got there. Maureen Hold, the inside agent on this operation, was lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Several other Aurors were around, hurt as well.

It was GInny's job to do as much first aid as she could while Draco covered her. The two of them were supposed to spirit away the more badly wounded.

**But used to bes dont count anymore**

Ginny jumped from her broom while she was still a few feet in the air and hit the ground running.

"Ginny! Damnit!" Draco roared.

Ginny ignored him and ran to Maureen. The Auror was still breathing but she was going to need serious medical attention.

**They just lay on the floor 'til we sweep them away**

She pulled on her handling gloves and pulled a Portkey from her bag. The Portkey would take the wounded to the hospital The gloves allowed Ginny to handle the Portkey without sending herself to the hospital.

She forced the key into Maureen's hand and let go as the Auror disappeared.

"Damnit, Ginny, what happened to being a team? I can't watch your back if you don't wait for me," Draco snarled as she moved on to the next wounded.

"Why the hell does it matter? It's over after this, isn't it?"

"Ginny, that not what I fucking meant and even if it was, I wouldn't want you to kill yourself."

_And baby, I remember  
All the things you taught me_

"Dying in battle is admirable, isn't it?"

"Will you stop it with the talk of dying? The wounded probably won't appreciate it."

"Oh, I don't mind," the wounded Auror said as Ginny bandaged his hand and handed him a healing potion.

"You good?" she asked.

He drank the potion with a wince. "I'll live."

_I learned how to laugh_

"Good," Ginny said, rising to her feet.

"Ginny! Look out!" Draco roared.

Ginny turned as a spell hurtled at her. Time seemed to slow as the spell rushed towards her.

_And I learned how to cry_

Without hesitation, as if he had coreographed it, Draco grabbed Ginny and spun her so she was pressed into his chest, safely behind her. HIs body jerked as the spell sliced into his back.

_Well I leared how to love_

All fighting stopped as Ginny's scream pierced the air. Draco crumpled and Ginny fell with him. Ginny fumbled through her bag and pulled out another Portkey and shoved it into his hand.

_Even learned how to lie_

Ginny stood in the waiting room. Hermione and Ron sat on the chairs but Ginny couldn't sit. Not until she knew.

She looked up as a doctor came into the waiting room. She met his eyes and he halted. Then, slowly, sadly, he shook his head.

_You'd think I could learn  
__**How to tell you goodbye**_

"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Hermione asked as Ginny unlocked her apartment door.

Ginny just nodded.

"Come by the house tomorrow, Ginny. You shouldn't be alone right now."

Ginny gave a weak smile. "You know, it's the damnedest thing, but I think he was going to break up with me. Tomorrow was our anniversary and he hadn't said a word. We haven't really been close these past few months."

"That doesn't mean you won't miss him."

Ginny was silent again.

"Take care, Ginny," Hermione said softly.

Ginny nodded and walked into her apartment. She cloed the door and collapsed against it.

The small apartment was full of flowers. Every flat surface was covered in flowers. Ginny pushed herself vertical again and made her way to the table. A large bouquet of orcids sat on the table with a note on them.

Ginny-

Sorry I've been such a dick lately. I just wasn't sure how to tell you that I loved you and I was taking it out on you. I love you Ginny.

Happy Anniversary

Draco

_**'Cause you don't bring me flowers anymore **_

Alone in her apartment, surrounded by flowers from the man she loved, Ginny Weasley cried.

(A/N: Did you cry? So this was supposed to be a Valentines Day Fic but my computer crashed. It's fixed now and I'm being more careful about backing it up and what not. Any way, hopefully updates will return full force next week. Until then enjoy this little fic.

And yes, I cried when I wrote this.


	28. Man of Steel

Man of Steel

Meatloaf

* * *

Somethings cannot be fixed, no matter how strong you are. DG

* * *

__

I left a message at the hotel

"Come on, pick up," Draco snarled into the cell phone as he ran the red light.

As if in answer, a pert, feminine voice came on the line. "Waldorf Astoria?"

"Yeah, this the check in desk?"

"Yes, sir. How may I help you?"

"I need information on one of your guests."

"Right away, sir. May I have the name?"

"Ginevra Ma- Weasley." The words tasted bitter in his mouth and his vision blurred for a second before he regained control.

_They said you checked out_

"One moment please."

He sandwiched the phone between his shoulder and his ear as he sped up, shifting gears and blowing through a yellow light.

_They said you ain't coming back_

"I am sorry, sir, but Miss Weasley checked out this morning."

He dropped the phone for a second as he screamed a few obscenities at the car in front of him and the woman he loved.

"Do you know if she is planning to return?" He asked after he picked the phone up again.

"I am afraid not, sir."

He thanked the woman and hung up before he called her some names that he would regret.

__

I tried to call you

He hit the one on his speed dial even as he took the turn towards Ottery St Pole. A second later his phone connected to Ginny's voice mail.

__

But you turned off your cell

"Hi, this is Ginny. Sorry I can't answer you right now but you know the drill. And if this is Draco you can go to fucking hell."

_And it said at the tone  
Just leave me alone_

"Damnit," he muttered even as he had to smile. Ginny still had her spirit even if she was pissed as hell at him. Not that he didn't deserve it. And he knew his excuses were flimsy as her wedding veil had been but she needed to hear them.

"Call me, Gin," he said into the phone.

_And I fall apart at the seams_

He ratcheted through the gears as he stopped the car on the side of the road with a squeal of tires and dust.

_It seems that I always, always fall apart_

"Fuck," he muttered as his vision blurred again. This time the tears did fall, hitting his Armani suit pants and the custom leather seats of his Ashton Martin.

When did I get this weak? he thought but the answer was obvious. The moment Ginny left him.

_But as strong as I am  
Why can't I break your heart?_

Life had been perfect for three years. Ginny had said the one word he wanted to hear more than any others and then it had been time to shop for a white dress.

_I remember how it used to be_

Those had been the days. Beautiful days flowing into perfect nights. She had been his everything and he had lost himself in her arms. The wedding had been beautiful though he had eyes only for her.

_Making love to you all night long_

They raced each other up the aisle and to the wedding bed. It had been perfect and he had never wanted it to end.

_I used to take you in my arms  
And hold you there until all my strength was gone_

And for three years he was strong enough. For three years she had been his crimson goddess and he her man of steel. They clung to each other and it was so perfect.

_I used to be a man of steel  
I used to be a man of steel_

Then came baby. He had spent countless hours modeling the house for their child. It had been a wonderful nine months and everything had seemed to be working for him. For them.

_I built this prison that I thought was a home_

Until the delivery. Until the child was stillborn. Until the doctor told them that Ginny would be very lucky to ever concieve again.

And that had not been the worst. Coming home to a house ready for baby had been awful.

_And we both lived here_

He had thrown himself into work, the pain raw and fresh. He had wanted nothing of it. He had only wanted to run away but it had never occured to him that she might want to run as well.

_Guess you were living alone_

When he did it had been too late.

_I'd tear it down if you would only have asked_

Her bridges were burning and he wanted nothing more than to play mason for her.

_And I would build you a bridge  
So you could come back_

The tears were gone now. Their child was gone. She was gone but he knew he still loved her. He was ready to do what it took to get her back. He put the car in drive again and gunned the engine.

_And I fall apart at the seams  
It seems that I always, always fall apart_

The Burrow loomed large before him and his tires kicked up gravel as he slammed on the brakes.

_But as strong as I am  
Why can't I break your heart?_

Ron was outside when he got there and Draco knew this was not going to end well. Ron had fought the hardest when his sister and Draco announced their engagement.

"Where is she?" Draco asked, getting out of the car and slamming the door behind him.

_I remember how it used to be_

"Stay away from her, Malfoy," Ron demanded.

_Making love to you all night long_

"She's my wife. I will do as I please," Draco snarled, moving closer, hands clenched in fists.

_I used to take you in my arms_

Draco did not really expect a fight and was surprised when Ron punched him in the gut. He bent over and Ron got another punch in, on his nose this time.

Draco broke off and held his fists up for a second, ready to fight then he put them back down.

_And hold you there until all your fears were gone  
_

Ron hit him across the cheek and Draco fell, stars before his eyes. He got to his feet slowly. Ron was red with barely surpressed rage.

__

I used to be a man of steel

"Fight me!" Ron demanded. "Damnit Malfoy! Hit back or something!"

Draco shook his head and got another fist to the face for his trouble.

"I'm not going to fight my brother in law," Draco protested.

_I used to be a man of steel_

"For fuck's sake, I'm going to kill you!"

"Go ahead," Draco said as the fist came at him again.

_I used to be a man of steel_

_I used to take you in my arms_

"Stop that now."

Draco and Ron both looked up as Ginny came out of the house. Her face was bright and she would not meet Draco's gaze.

**Hey, now tell me why can't you just break my heart?**

"Ginny..." Ron began but she silenced him with a glare.

"Stop it, Ron."

_I used to be a man of steel_

Draco slumped down on the stairs and Ginny came over as her brother went in side. She took a seat beside him on the stairs, knees to her chest and arms around her legs.

"Why did you come here?" she asked.

_And I used to take you in my arms_

"Because I love you."

**I loved you from the start**

"Don't say that," she hissed.

**Now you can't tear my world apart**

"It's true," he replied.

_I used to be a man of steel_

"You expect that to just make everything better?" she demanded. "It doesn't. You can't just say something and expect the world to rewrite itself to suit you."

_Now every bit of faith is gone_

"I know that."

**You used to be so strong**

"So why come here? You know I don't forgive you."

**Now you can't even break my heart**

"Because I love you."

_I used to be a man of steel_

"Stop saying that!" she screamed, her face melting with tears. "You lost that privilege! You don't wake up one morning and expect us to get back together."

_I used to take you in my arms_

"I can't. You can't forgive me Ginny and that's fine. I understand that. I was a bastard and there is no reason for you to forgive me but I need you to know that I love you."

_What's it going to take for us to break down?_

"Stop it! Just fucking stop it," she demanded, rising to her feet. For a second he thought she was going to kick him but she just stomped down the stairs and stood before him, pointing to his car.

_And finally fall_

"Get in the damned car and drive the hell away. That's all you're good at. "

_Apart at the seams_

He stared up into her face. She was serious but she was on the verge. She would forgive him but she needed...

_It seems that I always will fall apart_

He reached out and slipped his hands around her waist. He drew her close, gently and slowly as if she was a wild animal.

**As strong as you are ...**

"Draco," she began, her voice cracking.

_As strong as I am ..._

He said nothing, just lifted the hem of her shirt to reveal the long scar, now a pale pink on her belly. He kissed it.

"I love you, Ginny. Even if you don't love me back. Even if you cannot. I will always love you and I will always love our child wherever he is."

Ginny stiffened in his grip and he knew he had hit it. He braced himself for her reaction, surprised as hell when she melted in his grip, falling to her knees with tears.

He held her, pulling her close and they remained there.

**Why can't you break my heart?  
**

(A/N: So, I completely forgot about updating. Not gonna lie. Hopefully I can start that up again soon. I make no promises. Anyway, Hope you enjoyed this little song fic. I cried when I was writing it.


	29. The Great Filling Station Hold Up

The Great Filling Station Hold Up

Jimmy Buffet

FW/AJ, GW/HG

Hermione and Angelina are bored out of their minds when the call comes in that someone has hit the local gas station. Two red headed someones.

* * *

(A/N: The Great Filling Station Hold Up was written in the 70's. Back then fifty cents would probably get you about 2-5 gallons of gas. I don't know exactly.)

_I pulled into the regular pump _

Fred pushed his sun glasses up his nose and looked into his rearview mirror where he could see George waiting. George caught his eye and grinned brightly.

"We're really fucking going through with this," Fred muttered under his breath. As if reading his thoughts, as George was wont to, his twin met his eyes and saluted him jauntily.

_I was feelin' quite at ease _

Fred would blame the idea on being bored at the time. Which was true enough. They had been half way through watching The Bank Job for the eighteenth time when the plan came to him.

Their darling sister Ginny was letting them stay in her apartment but apparently their habit of hanging out in the apartment every spare minute was getting on her nerves. Especially since it seemed to be deterring her relationship with Draco Malfoy.

"GET THE HELL OFF MY COUCH AND OUT OF MY APARTMENT!" she had screamed, upon coming in and seeing them on her couch again.

"But Ginny!" George had whined. "How will we know how the movie ends?"

"DO I LOOK LIKE I FUCKING CARE HOW THE GODDAM MOVIE ENDS?"

"Giiinnnnyyy!" George whined.

Ginny reached down and grabbed the boys by their ears. Her boyfriend, Draco, watched with cool amusement as she dragged them from the room and threw them out of the apartment.

"And STAY out!"

George looked over at his brother. "So what now?"

"Don't worry. I came up with a plan like twenty minutes ago."

"Great!" George turned to the door. "Gin, we're off to do something or other."

The door opened and Ginny stuck her head out. "If you are back before midnight, I will shoot the both of you."

"But you don't own a gun," Fred commented.

"I will borrow one from Hermione."

With that Ginny slammed the door in their face.

_I rolled down my window and told the man, "Fifty cents worth please" _

Fred pulled the car up to the pump. A teenager came jogging out, grinning like a fool. "Hey, buddy. What can I do for you?"

Fred almost felt bad about what he was going to do next. "Uh, just five dollars, if you don't mind."

Fred looked into the rearview mirror and caught George's eye. Seeing his brother, right behind him every step of the way, Fred couldn't resist a grin.

There was no way in hell this wasn't going to work.

_Then out jumped my partner with his trusty pellet gun _

George sat in the back of the truck, knowing he was about to break every rule his mother had imposed on him and Fred. Mum hadn't had many but robbing a store at gunpoint definitely was on the list.

Did it really count if the gun was just a pellet gun?

George nodded at Fred and jumped out of the truck bed, pointing the gun at the boy.

_He said, "Boy this is a holdup, keep 'a pumpin' and don't run" _

The boy blinked at George and went pale.

"Look, we're not going to hurt you," George began but the boy had already fainted.

Fred leaned out the window. "What did you do?"

"Nothing! The kid just…fainted."

Fred and George looked at each other and began to laugh.

_And now I wish I was somewhere other than here _

_Down in some honky tonk, sippin' on a beer _

_Yes I wish I was somewhere other than here _

_Because that great fillin' station holdup _

_Cost me two good years _

Hermione Granger was bored out of her mind. Across from her, Angelina Johnson tapped her pen on the table as she read some novel or other. Usually Hermione would have thrown her partner's pen half way across the room by now, but seeing as she had nothing better to do, she was disinclined to do so.

"I'm bored…" Hermione finally stated.

Angelina finally looked up from her novel. "Join the club. Oh, wait. You're already president."

"Oh, look Captain, Angelina accidentally shot herself with her own gun," Hermione replied.

"Point taken. No offense, Mione, but we can't just make people, let alone fellow witches and wizards, run around and break the law."

_We got fifteen dollars and a can of STP _

_A big ol' jar of cashew nuts and a Japanese TV _

As if on cue, the phone began to ring.

Hermione looked at it then at her partner. Angelina hesitated then reached out and took the phone. "Wizarding Police, Detective Johnson speaking."

"'Lina? Go stop my brothers before they do something stupid."

"Ginny?" Angelina said. "Is that you? What the hell are your brothers doing and which ones?"

"You really have to ask?"

_Feelin' we had pulled the biggest heist of our career _

George finished loading the truck.

"Does it make us bad thieves if we paid for everything?" Fred wondered aloud, counting out their twenties onto the counter.

"Well, I snuck a pack of gum past you when you were totaling up everything so I think we still have the title."

"Damn skippy!" Fred hollered, hoping into the truck. "Let's go get drunk!"

_We're wanted men, we'll strike again _

_But first let's have a beer _

Beer did sound like a good idea and they still had a few twenties left.

"Let's do it," George agreed. After all, he thought, what was the worst that could happen?

_And now I wish I was somewhere other than here _

_Down in some honky tonk, sippin' on a beer _

_Yes I wish I was somewhere other than here _

_Because that great fillin' station holdup _

_Cost me two good years _

"This was," Fred began. "This was….this was…this was am asweme idea."

"Trus that," George slurred around his ninth bottle of beer.

_We were sittin' in the Krystal _

_About as drunk as we could be _

The bad news was that the boys were still very bored. After the seventh beer each, they began to realize that they still had nothing to do for the rest of the day let alone the next few. In some beer addled part of their brains, they both knew that they should be nice and let Ginny have some quality time with Draco.

"Whash we gonna do now?" Fred asked.

_In walks the deputy sheriff _

_And he's holdin' our TV _

"Well, well, well," crooned a voice from the other end of the bar. Both twins looked up and stared at the two women who had just stepped into the bar.

"Oh, shit," Fred muttered.

"Double shit," George echoed.

Hermione Granger and Angelina Johnson waltzed down the length of the bar. A few of the more sensible drunks scattered before the shine of the girls' badges.

_Roughed us then he cuffed us _

One of the drunks, however, was a little too far gone and a little too interested in the girls' cleavages. "Hey Ladies!" he slurred. "Howas about you tand I find a room and do some stuff with them handfucs of yours."

Hermione delivered a scathing look in his direction and he quailed.

"Fred and George Weasley," Angelina drawled. "I might have known."

_And he took us off to jail _

"Um…" Fred began.

"RUN!" George hollered in his brother's ear. He grabbed Fred by the back of his shirt and began to run. That was about when he ran into the bar.

Fred freed himself before his brother could drag him down and managed another ten paces before he slammed into the jukebox.

_No pictures on a poster, no reward and no bail _

Hermione sighed and leaned down, grabbing George by his ear as Angelina crossed to Fred. Together, the girls dragged the twins out into the parking lot.

"Ow!" Fred said when they had been released and sobered up via a quick spell. "That hurt," he said.

"The ear or the sober part?" George asked, "because I'm feelin' a bit of both."

"What were you two thinking?" Angelina asked. "Robbing a gas station."

"We didn't rob it," Fred mumbled.

"Well then, maybe you can explain the TV we found in your truck."

"We paid for everything," George pointed out.

The girls looked at each other then burst into laughter. "Oh Fred," Angelina sighed. "I'd love you more if you weren't so hopeless."

"Love?" Fred croaked.

Hermione laughed and threw an arm around George. "Com'on, baby. We'll leave them to sort that out."

"So we aren't going to jail?" George clarified.

She kissed his cheek. "Not today, sweet cheeks. Besides, Lina's and my shift ended an hour ago."

_And now I wish I was somewhere other than here _

_Down in some honky tonk, sippin' on a beer Yes I wish I was somewhere other than here _

_'Cause that great fillin' station holdup _

_Cost me two good years _

_Yes that great fillin' station holdup _

_It cost me two good years_


	30. A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste

A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste

Meat Loaf

AU. Ginny and Draco argue about the merits of a first kiss and why it should be with someone special. DG.

(A/N: Yes, it's another Meat Loaf song fic. I can't help it! He has such awesome lyrics. This one is a solo so…yeah. Also, HOLY CRAP! This is a long chapter!)

* * *

_Ooh if only, ooh if only…_

"Bloody bag," Ginny muttered mutinously as she rummaged through it. "How the hell do I get so much shit?" she muttered as she rifled through the sheaves of paper and countless other things.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, pulling out the small vial.

"Awful big production for a tiny little thing."

_If you listen to the night you can hear the darkness fall_

Ginny gasped and spun. Draco Malfoy stood, half in shadow. As she watched, he emerged from the shadows like the Phantom of the Opera or someone equally mysterious and charming/borderline creepy.

"What is the little fox doing so far from her den?" he asked in a sugar sweet voice. Ginny debated slapping him and running away. But regardless of how ecstatic her brother would be about that, the possibility of escaping detention was…very, very slim in that scenario.

"Fox? That's a new one," she replied.

"You think so?"

_I can barely stand the wait, I can barely stand at all_

"Generally I'm just Weasley or Weasel."

"What ever you say, Fox," he replied.

She eyed him and pushed the strap up her shoulder. "So, are you giving me detention, or what?"

_Come on closer to me now, like we're sharing the same skin_

"It's tempting, Fox. Terribly tempting. But I'm rather bored."

"So, what? I'm Shaharazad now?"

He laughed softly and Ginny felt her jaw go slack. Holy shit, he was sexy when he was enjoying himself.

_We gotta get out of this jail, we gotta let the future in_

"Well, I'm not going to kill you if you don't amuse me."

"Why should I amuse you?" she asked.

He smirked. "Because I'm cute."

She rolled her eyes. "Try again, stud."

_So many things in your life that you're bound to regret_

She was half way down the hall before he spoke again.

"Because you'll regret it if you don't, Fox."

She looked back at him.

"Is that a threat?"

_Why didn't I do that? Why didn't I do this?_

He continued to smirk. "Not even a little, Fox."

Ginny hesitated then moved slowly back towards him. His smirk grew larger.

"Stop that," she snapped.

_So many chances you've lost that you never forget_

"Stop what?"

"Stop smirking or I'll walk away right now."

_Why didn't I make it? Why didn't I take it right then?  
_  
The smirk slipped off his face. "I wasn't aware it annoyed you that much."

"I don't like arrogance," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, what's in the vial, Fox?"

Ginny looked down to see she was still holding the vial. She loosened her grip on it. A small cut welled blood where the sharp edges of the vial had cut into her fingers.

_The loneliest words you'll ever know if only, if only it was so_

"You're hopeless, Fox," he whispered, grabbing her hand and pulling her closer. He pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around her hand with surprising gentleness.

_The emptiest words that there'll ever be_

Ginny felt her cheeks heat up and hurried to break the tension. She snatched her hand back.

"May I have my vial?"

He held it away. "Just as soon as you tell me what it is."

_It could've been me, it could've been me_

"I don't have to tell you anything."

He shrugged. "Well, if you won't tell me, there are other ways to find out."

Without another word, he flicked the stopper off the vial and raised it to his lips.

_The loneliest words you'll ever know if only, if only it was so_

"No!" she cried.

He lowered the vial with a satisfied smile.

Ginny glared at him.

_The emptiest words that there'll ever be_

"You might as well tell me, Fox. Otherwise I really will drink this."

Ginny sighed. "All right. It's a sleep potion."

Ginny was pleased to see he was speechless.

_It could've been me, it could've been me_

"What the hell, Fox? You don't need a sleeping potion."

"I don't have to answer that. I answered your first question. Give me back my potion."

"Nice try, Fox. I said I wouldn't drink this if you told me. Tell me what you need it for or I'll throw this in the lake."

_You'll have to pay for it later_

"Oh, for the love of Merlin!" she snapped. "Just keep the damn potion."

She began digging through her bag and pulling out bags of ingredients and her Potions book. "I'll just have to make a new one," she muttered, wincing as the cut on her hand rubbed against her quills.

_If you don't get it while it's going for free_

"Wait a minute, you're telling me you made this?"

Ginny met his eyes. "Yeah. I take extra lessons with Snape on Fridays."

He laughed. "No wonder you've never gotten any action."

_Believe me, believe me_

"You're telling me," she muttered.

_A kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

"You mean…"

She looked up at him. "Yes, Malfoy. I've never been kissed."

_A kiss is a terrible thing to waste  
It's something that's always been so_

"You…you've never been kissed?"

"No."

_A kiss is a terrible thing to waste  
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

"Oh…"

Ginny sighed. "Don't sound so awkward, Malfoy. I just haven't had a chance to get one."

"Actually," he began. "I was going to applaud you, Fox. Most girls give that sort of thing up too easily if you ask me."

_And one of these nights I'm gonna show you that you already know_

"We're talking about a kiss here. Not my virginity."

"I know. By the way, this is yours."

He held out the potion. Ginny hesitated then took it. With the potion back in her hands, she wanted to leave but for some reason she couldn't.

_There's a feast waiting for you and you've never even gotten a taste_

He seemed to sense her indecision. He smiled. "Why don't I walk you down to Professor Snape's office?"

Ginny just nodded dumbly.

_It's later than you think and a kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

Ginny put the vial in the pocket of her blazer and followed him as he led the way. For a few minutes they continued in silence.

"All right, what the hell?" she finally said.

He glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

_You shouldn't tremble when they touch there's no reason for these fears_

"You haven't insulted me or anyone I know since we met. You've been a jerk about the potion but that's to be expected."

He smiled. "Who the hell says I have to be the bad guy?"

"Everything you've done in the past," she said.

_It's a promise that was made, we've been promised this for years_

"Well, that is true. But the sun has gone down and we are alone."

"So that's all it takes? A little bit of darkness?"

"Maybe it is," he said. "We're here."

She looked up to see he was right. She moved to go in then turned to look at him. Only he was already gone.

* * *

_I want to show you it all, what to do and where and how_

Three days passed before Ginny ran into Draco again. She was going to her extra classes when she quite literally ran into him. She fell back and would have hit her ass but he grabbed her arm and kept her from falling.

"Thanks," she said.

"In a rush again, are we, Fox?"

Her lips twitched. "Not really."

_'cause we'll never be as young as we are right now_

"Going to Snape's again?"

_Never be as young as we are right now_

"Uh, yeah."

"Up for another escort?"

She blushed then nodded, clutching her bag to her chest.

_So many cries in the night that you try to ignore_

"What did you make this time?" he asked, hooking his thumb in his pocket.

She pulled out another vial. "Wolfsbane. Snape will be testing it tonight."

"And if you did it right?"

"I get a new potion to make."

_Why didn't I do this? Why didn't I do that?_

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked as they reached the door to the dungeons.

He smiled and held the door open. "I thought I told you..."

"Yeah, yeah. Night changes people. Blah, blah. Give me a real reason."

He took her chin and tilted her head up, leaning close.

"Maybe I'm looking for that pretty little kiss of yours."

She pushed him back. "You told me not to waste kisses. So don't expect any from me any time soon."

_So many un-answered prayers, so many un-opened doors_

He laughed and turned away. "See you Monday, Fox."

_Why didn't I take it? Why didn't I make it come true?_

* * *

Ginny surprised herself by waiting for Draco on Monday. She stood in the hall as he slowly meandered down it. She pretended not to be waiting for him. In return, he yelled at a few first years before he made his way to her.

"Is this how it will always be?" she asked.

"What? Me walking you to your lessons? Because I actually think I enjoy this particular ritual."

"I do too," she said and fell silent.

They walked for a little while.

"Would you ever be ashamed to take someone home to meet your parents?" he asked suddenly.

"I'd never get serious with someone my parents couldn't meet," she replied truthfully.

"Hmm. So looks like that kiss is never going to happen."

She looked at him seriously. "Never say never."

_The loneliest words you'll ever know if only, if only it was so_

"Here's your stop," he said when they got to the door in question.

"Thank you," she said. "You know, you're not a complete ass."

"Only when the sun goes down," he replied, brushing back her hair. For some reason she wanted to lean into that hand, to let him carress her like that.

She broke away after a moment and turned to her class.

_The emptiest words that there'll ever be  
It could've been me, it could've been me_

Ginny was distracted. It had nothing to do with the assignment that Snape had given her. That was an easy thing for her to do.

"Miss Weasley, are you trying to test my patience? I agreed to these lessions because I assumed you would be able to keep up. Now if you cannot do a simple Love potion without destroying my eyebrows, I would appreciate it if you would get out of my classroom."

"Sorry, Professor," she said and quickly fixed her potion.

"Crude, but effective," he said when her potion worked. "I do want to know if this problem of yours will continue."

_The loneliest words you'll ever know if only, if only it was so_

"No, no, I'm fine," she lied.

"Miss Weasley, I know when you are lying so tell me some truth for once."

"I...I have feelings...towards someone I shouldn't feel for and I don't know if I want it."

"The feelings, or Mr. Malfoy?"

_The emptiest words that there'll ever be  
It could've been me, it could've been me  
_

She stared at him.

"Miss Weasley, that boy lacks stealth like your brother lacks tact. If you are planning on having any sort of conversation in front of my door, I suggest you invite him to speak quieter. That area is an acoustic sweet spot and you can hear every word spoken there where ever you might be in the hall."

Ginny looked down at her hands.

"Well, Miss Weasley? How exactly do you feel for my student?"

Ginny put her head on the table. "I don't know."

_You'll have to pay for it later  
If you don't get it while it's going for free_

* * *

Draco twirled his wand between his fingers as he waited for Ginny.

He looked up as she rounded the corner and felt a smile tug at his lips.

Her long red hair was pulled back today and she looked fantastic. He wanted to grab her and take her kiss but every part of him knew that it was her decision.

_Believe me, believe me  
_

"Hey, Fox."

"Hey, Draco," she said as he fell into step with her.

It was hard to believe that they'd been doing this for nearly four months. Five nights a week, he walked her down to her extra lessons. He only was on prefect duty for a few of the nights, like three a week.

_A kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

"What are you making tonight?" he asked.

"Felix Felicis," she replied.

"Liquid luck. Wanna steal me a vial?" he asked. "I have that match against Ravenclaw Saturday."

"You don't need luck to beat them," she pointed out.

_A kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

"And if I go against Gryffindor?"

"Well, you definitely would need luck then."

He laughed.

_It's something that's always been so_

"Here we are, Fox," he said when they got to the door.

He was about to say more when Snape came out. He looked at the both of them then focused his attention on Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy? Might I have a word?"

Ginny glanced at them both then turned to the door. "I'll just set up then, shall I?"

_A kiss is a terrible thing to waste  
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

Draco waited until Ginny was inside then turned to his professor. "What is it, sir?"

"What exactly are your intentions towards Miss Weasley?"

Draco stared. "I just like spending time with her," he said.

"It is more than that, and you know it."

_And one of these nights I'm gonna show you that you already know_

"So I get along with her," Draco protested.

"Mr. Malfoy, you have not 'gotten along' with any one since you came here with the exception of myself."

Draco looked down. "What do you want me to say? The night releases me and she is a good way to..."

He started to lie but Snape's look quelled that.

_There's a feast waiting for you and you've never even gotten a taste  
It's later than you think and a kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

"Alright. I like hanging out with her. She doesn't look at me and see Death Eater wannabe. She doesn't call me names behind my back. She...just...just is around. And I like having her around."

"Enough to what?"

_There's a feast waiting for you and you've never even gotten a taste  
It's later than you think and a kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

"Enough." Draco said. "Just leave it at that. I like her enough."

_Tire tracks and broken hearts, that's all we're leaving behind_

Inside the classroom, Ginny leaned against the wall, smiling for a reason she couldn't explain.

A few minutes later, Snape came into the room, arching his eyebrows at her.

_It doesn't matter what we lose, it only matters what we're going to find_

"Great acoustics, eh, Miss Weasley?"

_Tire tracks and broken hearts, that's all we're leaving behind  
It doesn't matter what we lose, it only matters what we're going to find_

* * *

Ginny flipped back her bangs as she watched the match. It was a bitterly cold day and other than a few token Ravenclaws and Slytherins who only were there because they had to be the stands were empty.

She watched the tiny figure of Draco as he darted around, looking for the snitch.

_Tire tracks and broken hearts, that's all we're leaving behind  
Let's get away from the past_

"What a bitterly awful day."

Ginny jumped and looked over at Snape. "Hello, Professor."

_It doesn't matter what we lose, it only matters what we're going to find_

_So many ways to go fast_

"As I understand it, Miss Weasley, Mr. Malfoy needs a little luck."

She looked down. "I have to agree."

_Tire tracks and broken hearts, that's all we're leaving behind  
It doesn't matter what we lose, it only matters what we're going to find_

She looked up again as the buzzer rang. "What?"

"The game is taking a break. Ravenclaw is putting in a new Beater. Now would be an excellent time to give Mr. Malfoy a little luck."

_Tire tracks and broken hearts, that's all we're leaving behind_

_It doesn't matter what we lose, it only matters what we're going to find_

She looked over at him and he handed her a small vial. She recognized it as her Felix potion from the day before.

"As I understand, this belongs to you."

_There's a feast waiting for you and you've never even gotten a taste_

"Professor?" she began as Draco flew over.

He just waved a hand. "As much as your brother annoys me, Miss Weasley, I cannot, in all good conscious use that as an excuse to keep you from something that makes you happy."

_It's later than you think and a kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

She smiled but waved him away. "Thanks. But I have a very different plan in mind."

Draco pulled up as he left. "Hey, Fox. What did Snape want?"

"He had a few pointers. For you."

"Oh? And what did he suggest?"

"That I give you a little luck," she said.

Then she took his face and kissed him on the lips.

He nearly fell off his broom and then returned the kiss.

"For luck?" he asked.

She grinned. "Well, maybe not just for luck."

_A kiss is a terrible thing to waste  
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste_

(A/N: This one took on a life of it's own. Not that I'm complaining, you understand, but it was both fun and a supreme challenge to write. Still, hope you guys like it. Even if it is mostly fluff.


	31. Flash of The Blade

Flash of the Blade

Iron Maiden

DG

Draco always wanted to be a hero. Now's his chance.

* * *

_As a young boy chasing dragons with your wooden sword so mighty,_

You can do this, I told myself. It was easy. I just had to walk over and grab her hand. The others would shut up immediately. I'd be set. She'd probably hate me.

Oh, hell, she really would hate me, wouldn't she?

Shit! I didn't think about that.

_You're St. George or you're David and you always killed the beast._

New plan, I thought. I muttered a few choice spells and the twits annoying her shrieked as their hair caught fire.

She looked surprised and looked around. Her gaze hit me and I could feel it like a brand on the back of my neck. I refused to acknowledge it.

_Times change very quickly,_

When her gaze was gone, I snuck a look at her. Her crimson hair pooled about her neck like the scarlet choker in that old horror story.

Morbid much, Draco? Geez, I need to get out.

Taking my own advice, I rose to my feet. Three sets of eyes hit me and I knew they would be full of suspicion if I looked at them. I was super tempted to go over and do something. I don't know what but I'm sure I could think of something.

_And you had to grow up early,_

No time for that! (That's what she said.) SERIOUSLY! No time! I have to formulate another plan.

Walking around the grounds always cheered me up and I set about to do just that.

_A house in smoking ruins and the bodies at your feet._

I wandered around outside, barely noticing the bite the spring air still had to it. The sun would be out for another hour at least and I wouldn't need to worry about a sweater or anything.

I gave the lake a wide berth as I always did. One too many instances involving the geese that lived down there this time of year. No, I am not going into them.

_You'll die as you lived_

This wasn't planned, so you know. I didn't wake up one morning and make a list of how many ways I could fall in love with Ginny Weasley.

Ginny bloody Weasley. The quintessential damsel in distress. Her brother ignored her whenever a guy wasn't around. Potter wasn't much better and Granger was absorbed in Weasley's rear end. It wasn't healthy.

_In a flash of the blade,_

So, Weasley had to like heroes, you reason. Thus did I. Unfortunately, heroic tendencies and I don't mix. I try, but all my plans seem to involve beating up other people or making it seem like she's a traitor.

What can I say? I'm super romantic.

_In a corner forgotten by no one._

Which should bring us all up to speed, no?

Am I pathetic? That's the only reason I can come up with for why I'm doing any of this.

Why do I like her? I can't really figure it out. I think it has something to do with the way she looks when she's being bullied. Like she doesn't want to stand up for herself. It's fucking annoying.

I hate that look. I never ever want to see it again. I'd rather claw my own eyes out than see her look like that.

_You lived for the touch_

Speak of the devil...

Pansy Parkinson, one of Ginny's most staunch tormenters, trotted along the path to the Herbology greenhouses. I knew who she was going to see. I mean, what other seventh year liked plants so much he was content to make out around them?

"Oi, Pans," I hollered.

She looked at me and guilt flashed across her face but she changed directions and came towards me.

_For the feel of the steel_

"Might I have a word?" I said, hoping she caught the command in my tone. Pans was good like that and moved a little faster.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

_One man, and his honor._

I looked at her, wondering what the hell Longbottom saw in her. Sure she was pretty, but she was a bitch.

"I have a favor to ask."

_The smell of resined leather_

You could almost see her hackles go up. I didn't blame her. The last time I'd asked for a favor was that whole Yule Ball fiasco.

"Um, okay," she said slowly. "What can I do for you?"

_The steely iron mask_

I leaned close. "I want you to leave Ginny Weasley alone."

Her jaw dropped. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am," I said. "I want you and the other Slut-terians to back the fuck off her."

_As you cut and thrust and parried at the fencing master's call._

"Why?" she hissed. "You can't mean to tell me you like that little twat."

I felt my fingers curl into a fist. I was not going to hit a girl. I was not going to hit a girl.

"Ow!"

Holy crap, I just hit a girl.

_He taught you all he ever knew_

She stared up at me, anger and confusion taking precident in her face. "You do like her!"

I shrugged and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Tell you what, you don't mention this and I won't mention your little Gryffindor squeeze."

_To fear no mortal man_

She paled and respect hit her face. "Fine," she sighed. "Just don't blame me when you two have pink haired babies."

What the hell was she talking about? Pink haired? My kids were not going to have pink hair. I scowled as she trotted off again then continued my walk.

_And now you'll wreak your vengeance_

I had fully circled the castle by now and was back near the Lake. Out of habit, I glanced over that way.

A redhead was standing on the water's edge, shouting. Whoever it was, they were surrounded by the evil geese.

_In the screams of evil men._

I began in that direction. If it was Weasley, I'd get some amusement, no? Then again, if I helped him that might endear me to Ginny.

_You'll die as you lived_

It wasn't until I got closer that I saw who it really was. It was Ginny.

"Get away, you stupid birds!" she hollered and I fell a little bit more in love with her. Thank God someone else thought they were stupid birds.

I reached for my wand, only to realize that I had left it back in my room.

_In a flash of the blade,_

I looked around and spotted a long stick about the length of my fencing swords back at the manor. I picked it up and strode confidently over.

"Need a hand there, Ginny?" I drawled in a heroic manner.

She looked at me and I felt myself getting lost in those perfect brown eyes.

_In a corner forgotten by no one._

Unfortunately, the foul fowls had no qualms about attacking me while I was distracted by her eyes. I recovered but did you know that there's a difference between fencing against my father and attacking birds? There is.

_You lived for the touch_

My foot hit a piece of mud and before I could get a proper yelp out, I was on my ass, covered in all sorts of foul stuff.

I swore whole heartedly as the birds came at me. There was a flash of light and the birds started squalking and running away.

Ginny Weasley smiled down at me as she pocked her wand.

_For the feel of the steel_

"Well I feel right heroic," I told her.

She laughed softly and offered me her hand. As I rose, she planted a kiss on my cheek. "My hero," she said.

Suddenly, being covered in bird poop and mud and grass and God only knew what else wasn't so bad.

_One man, and his honor._

(A/N: Okay, so I really just wanted to get this one out there. It's been playing around in my mind for a while. I just loved the idea of Draco trying to be a hero and failing miserably. I had a lot of fun with this one and since I just wrote a super depressing chapter, I feel I need a little bit of light writing. Hope you guys liked it!_  
_


	32. The Best of Times

The Best of Times

Styx

DG: Things have never been so bleak at Hogwarts. The Slytherins have launched a war against the other houses and amid it Ginny and Draco don't know where to stand.

_Tonight's the night we'll make history, honey, you and I _

"Stop it!" Ginny snapped, spinning on Draco. The Slytherin smirked at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?"

"You're following me," she said.

"Has it occurred to you that I'm just going in the same direction as you?"

She glared at him then returned to stalking down the hall. She could hear him chuckling behind her but forced herself not to react.

_And I'll take any risk to tie back the hands of time _

Ginny let out a little cry as she rounded the corner. Draco, who was following a little too closely, nearly ran her over.

"Damnit Weasley! Watch where you're going!"

The scene before her had robbed her of the ability to speak.

Draco peered over her shoulder and swore. Before she could react, he snagged her waist and pushed her against the nearest wall. She let out another cry of surprise, one that was muffled when he pulled the hood of her robes up to cover her face. He snatched off her tie and shoved it down the front of his shirt along with her prefect pin and pressed his lips against hers.

Now she really couldn't speak.

_And stay with you here tonight _

"Oy! Malfoy! That you?"

"Say nothing," Draco hissed into her mouth then turned insolently to face the trio of Slytherins.

"Theo, Greg, Vince. Tell me you have a compelling reason for being down here," Draco drawled, managing to ignore the poor first year that was whimpering on the floor.

"Just teaching the Gryffindors to fear us," Theo returned, kicking the first year.

_I know you feel these are the worst of times _

Draco broke off from Ginny, whispering a word in her ear before doing so.

"It's getting so a fellow can't have a decent snog around here without having to show you fellows how it's done."

Theo leered at Ginny, trying to see up her hood to her face. Ginny gave a little finger wave then wrapped the fingers of her opposite hand around her wand and muttered the spell Draco had fed her.

_I do believe it's true _

Down the hall, something fell over. The four Slytherins looked in that direction and there was a faint smile on Draco's face. "You three get out of here," Draco said. "I'll deal with this one."

"What about her?" Theo asked, jerking his head at Ginny.

Draco's face twisted for a second. "I'll handle all of this," he said.

_When people lock their doors and hide inside _

The other three looked at each other and nodded to him then disappeared around the far corner. When they were gone, Draco ran a hand through his hair. He looked at the cowering first year and for the first time since she'd met him, Ginny saw indecision on his face. More than that, he looked lost.

Ginny just realized what this all meant for him. If he helped the first year it would get back to the others and there was no doubt that the others were capable of some despicable things.

_Rumor has it it's the end of Paradise _

Gryffindor courage and pride welled in Ginny and she did the only thing she could think of. She threw off her robe and stalked over to Draco, shouting Petrifus Totalus.

Surprise hit Draco's face and he fell down.

"IMPERVIOUS?" Ginny roared at him and kicked him (lightly) in the arm.

"You scum sucking putrid mass of cowardice!" she snapped, kicking at him again. "You dare put me under the Impervious spell?"

_But I know, if the world just passed us by _

Understanding and amusement flashed through Draco's eyes and Ginny turned to the first year. "Jonah, are you alright?"

The first year nodded. "Thank you, Ginny. What did he do?"

"Apparently, Mr. Malfoy" she spat his name "had some bet going that he could get in my shirt and up my skirt."

"What will you do?" the boy squeaked.

_Baby I know, you wouldn't have to cry _

"Let me worry about that," she said. She pulled out a hall pass from her pocket and handed it to him then shooed him off.

She waited until the boy was down the hall and around the corner (the opposite one from the one the Slytherins had gone around) then knelt and retrieved her tie and prefect badge from his shirt.

"Finite Incantatum," she finally said then started to walk off.

"Weasley!"

Almost down the corridor, she paused and looked back. He was sitting up and staring after her with a look half of confusion and half of reluctant gratitude.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're welcome," she said, just loud enough that he could hear it.

_The best of times are when I'm alone with you _

"Weasley," Draco said, scaring the life out of Ginny.

She spun to face him, pulling her shirt down quickly and into place. "Malfoy. In case you didn't notice, this is the girl's locker room."

"I'm having a moment," he said, sounding quite calm.

"That sounds painful. I'm sure they make creams for it," she said.

_Some rain some shine, we'll make this a world for two _

He chuckled. "I do need to talk with you before this moment passes."

She looked down at his crotch. "Um, well since it isn't that kind of moment, yeah, okay."

"The Slytherins want to up the ante," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"This war isn't over," he said. "And the Slytherins do not want it to end. They're prepared to take steps. To take the war into their own hands."

_Our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime _

"Like that thing with Jonah?" she asked quietly.

"Exactly," he said. "I want you and the other prefects to step up the security."

"I believe you," she said. "But look, even though we each saved each other's hides a couple days ago, no one's gonna believe you but me. I can't go to them and say 'Hey, guys, Malfoy wants you to step it up'."

"Punch me in the face."

_We'll take the best, forget the rest _

"Excuse me?" she stuttered.

"Punch. Me. In. The Face. Eye or nose. Somewhere it's noticeable."

"Why?"

"Then you can tell them all that you beat it out of me."

_And someday we'll find these are the best of times _

"Oh my god, do you see that shiner Malfoy's sporting?" Lucy Hollis asked at the next prefect meeting.

Ginny nodded. "Speaking of which..."

"Wait, are you saying you gave that to him?" Dean Thomas asked. He was the acting seventh year prefect, what with Ron and Hermione both gone. Beside him sat the two Patil twins, the Gryffindor of which was the acting Gryffindor Prefect.

Ginny felt her cheeks flame and the other prefects burst into applause. "Bravo," Luna said dreamily.

"It was a lucky hit," she said. "But look, I think I got some good information out of it."

_These are the best of times _

"Can it be trusted?" Samiel Aldrich asked when she'd relayed an edited version of Draco's message.

"Would it hurt?" Ginny asked. "We step up our detail and nothing happens-what's wrong with that? The worst that could happen is we waste a little extra energy."

"I'm game," Lucy said. The others quickly followed suit.

_The headlines read 'these are the worst of times' _

Ginny shoved her hands into her pockets and glanced around the pitch. She was in Muggle clothing and her telltale red hair was tied back and pulled up under a black knit cap, courtesy of her mother.

Convinced that she was alone, she looked up at the figure flying in lazy circles around the pitch. She walked over to the benches and took a seat.

"You stupid son of a bitch," she muttered, watching Draco fly around the pitch.

_I do believe it's true _

Draco had been right. Over the past three months the Slytherins had taken their methods to a larger level. Draco had managed to get her some intel and he knew some of the attacks. She'd been able to help dozens of them with that information.

And it had to be getting out. Someone had to be making the connection that every time they planned to hit someone, half a dozen prefects were there. Sometimes Slughorn or McGonnagall was there.

They had to know there was a leak.

And like any good 'cop' Ginny was determined to protect her source.

_I feel so helpless like a boat against the tide _

She sighed and propped her chin on her hand and her elbow on her knees.

"Hello, Weasley."

The voice, so close, made her jump. She leapt to her feet and spun to see four Slytherins standing there, headed up by Pansy and Theo.

"Hey, Parkinson," she said. "Nott, Goyle, Crabbe. What can I do for you?"

_I wish the summer winds could bring back Paradise _

"Weasley, I think you know why we're here," Pansy said.

"Do I?"

"You've been spying on us," Theo said. "I don't know how you do it, but I'd guess Potter's Invisibility Cloak. You've been telling the others."

"I think you're mistaken," she said but the argument sounded weak even to her.

_But I know, if the world turned upside down _

She didn't wait for a reply but broke and ran. Goyle grabbed her before she could go too far and threw her back and onto the benches. She cried out and started to get up again but suddenly four wands were in her face.

"I think its time for a reward, Theo," Pansy said, glancing at the crotch of Ginny's jeans.

Every fiber in her being froze and her mouth went dry.

"I think," began a voice from behind the four Slytherins. "I think that perhaps we'd better start at the beginning," Draco said, breaking through the ranks.

_Baby, I know you'd always be around _

He glanced at Ginny then looked at Pansy and the others. "What is going on here?" he demanded.

"We caught us a Gryffindor," Pansy said. "What should we do to her?"

"I say we let Malfoy have her," Theo drawled.

_The best of times are when I'm alone with you _

Panic flashed in Draco's eyes then he snatched Ginny's arm, pulling her to her feet. He grabbed her wand before she could and pocketed it. He leered at the others. "Lock the door behind me. I'll see you in an hour," he said.

He dragged her back and into the boys' locker room. There was a snick sound as the door locked behind them.

_Some rain some shine, we'll make this a world for two _

"Shit!" he hissed, letting go of her and running a hand through his hair. "Shit shit fuck hell shit fuck fuck _fuck_."

"What do we do now?" Ginny asked.

"We?" he asked then laughed. "Well, there are two options. You can beat me up and walk out there and get raped and probably killed by those three. Or I can rape you and leave here and then they'll kill you."

"Shit fuck hell indeed," she whispered.

_Our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime _

Draco sat on the nearest bench and buried his head in his hands.

Ginny racked her brain and something came to her. "Draco, do you know a safe spot?"

He looked up at her with a frown. "What?"

"A safe spot. Somewhere that no one else can find us? Somewhere that we can be safe, for a little while at least?"

"Yeah, but we can't get there. The place I'm thinking of isn-"

_We'll take the best, forget the rest _

"Coordinates," she demanded.

"Ginny, this won't-"

"Give me the damned coordinates."

He did so and she tore open the nearest locker, the one marked R. Weasley. She rifled through it until she found what she was looking for.

_And someday we'll find these are the best of times _

"Ginny, I don't see how this will help," he said. "We can't Floo out of here. I can Apparate but we're still on school grounds. There is no way out of here."

She set the gold locket on the ground. It was the one Lavender had given Ron last year. She grabbed her wand from the waistband of his jeans and began muttering spells over the locket, hoping she remembered enough to make this work.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up at him. "Just trust me, okay?"

_These are the best of times _

He fell silent. Finally she finished.

"On the count of three, I want you to put your hand on the locket," she said.

He hesitated then knelt beside her. "Ginny, what are we doing?"

"Please trust me," she whispered. "One...Two...Three!"

He put his hand down at the same moment she did. The familiar tug pulled at his stomach and he closed his eyes.

_And so my friends we'll say goodnight _

There was a warm breeze in his hair and he opened his eyes. The sun was setting over the ocean and it sparked on the waves.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Just where you told me to take us," she said, dropping the locket.

"Then we're in Italy," he said and looked around. Sure enough the Italian villa loomed behind them. His villa. He'd bought it when he turned eighteen and no one knew about it but him, not even his parents.

"A Portkey?" he asked.

"The least I could do," she said, staring down at the locket. "I figure we give it a week then go back."

_For time has claimed it's prize _

"Why not stay forever?" he asked.

"What?" she whispered.

"Look, Ginny, we've saved each other a few times now, in the past three months alone. I don't know about you, but I think that means we kinda like each other. At least I know it means I like you. No one knows about this place and I swear I'll send you home the moment you ask me to but...maybe we should-"

_But tonight will always last _

Ginny did the only thing she could think to do. She took his face and on that crimson lit beach, she kissed him like there was no tomorrow.

"I think I like you too," she whispered.

He smiled and took her hand, leading her away into their personal paradise.

_As long as we keep alive memories of Paradise..._

(A/N: A little fluffy at the end there. This one came so far from where it started that it's not even funny but I'm super happy with it. Anyway, hope you liked it!

Just a little update notice: I'm open to suggestions for song fics. I've got a bunch of DG planned and a couple Hermione/Pansy (my new favorite femeslash coupling) as well as some other random ones so let me know what you guys are in the mood for and if you have any particular songs you want me to do. Like I said, I'm game.


	33. Kiss This

Kiss This

Hr/F

One night working at Ginny's Fred watches Hermione verbally kick Lucas' ass. And he starts to fall in love. Following the plot line from A Story Book Romance

* * *

_She was a woman on a mission_

George was working the few tables they had which left Fred on bar duty. It was a pretty slow night, fast for a Thursday, but nothing like tomorow would be.

He poured a sex on the beach for a pretty little co-ed and a Guiness for her boy then blinked in surprise as Hermione appeared in his vision.

_Here to drown a man for leavin_

"Jack and Coke," she demanded, not even looking at him.

He hesitated then caught sight of his sister. Ginny, dressed for some function or other, merely nodded at him from across the roof terrace and he made Hermione the drink then watched her slink down to the other end of the bar.

_So I set her up again to watch him drown_

Ginny came over, glancing at Hermione.

"Hey, Fred. Keep her in the drinks."

"Our treat," Draco said, coming up behind Ginny.

Fred was still a little torn about how he felt in regards to Ginny and Draco dating but it made his sister happy.

_She had just about succeeded_

"Oh shit," Ginny said, causing Fred to scowl at her. He still wasn't keen on her swearing. Still, he followed her gaze until it caught on what had drawn the expletive out of her mouth.

_When that low down, no good, cheater_

A tall man was strutting through the crowd and Fred knew enough to know this was Hermione's boyfriend. Instantly all the little wheels clicked into place and Fred glanced at Hermione.

He ran down the bar and tapped Hermione's glass. The girl looked up at him through red rimmed eyes and he felt something twist. He'd always liked Hermione even after she and Ron had broken it off. The fact that Ron was now happily engaged to an Italian witch helped the matters.

_Good for nothing came struttin' through the crowd_

"Just to warn you, love, it looks like Prince not-so-Charming is on his way over."

She looked up, a grimace forming. He took the opportunity to refill her glass. "Want me to distract him?" he asked.

She looked tempted but shook her head. "Best to deal with these sorts of things when slightly sloshed," she announced and downed her drink in one go.

_Oh he was layin' it on so thick_

Fred had never really paid attention to Hermione's beaus before and this one was definitely good looking. Perhaps too good looking. Fred could see where things had gone wrong.

Fred refilled her glass and she swiveled around in the chair to watch her boy approach.

_He never missed a lick_

"Hermione!" he crooned and launched in on a tirade of apologies and professions of love.

Hermione took her drink from Fred and took one dainty sip after another. Boy-toy, whose name was escaping Fred for some reason, started to squirm but continued to rattle on about how much he loved and missed Hermione.

_Professing his never ending love_

Hermione finished her drink in one long pull and set the empty glass on the table. Then, her pretty eyes narrowing, she rose to her feet. She was shorter than Fred remembered, but no less intimidating for it.

_Oh but I never will forget, when she stood up and said_

"I'm sorry?" she said. "Is that _really_ all it takes to get a gal to forgive you?" she demanded.

Boy-toy was smiling as if he was winning. Oh, poor poor stupid boy-toy, Fred thought. He wasn't as familiar with Hermione's facial expressions, but he knew that when Ginny made a face like that, no one was getting out alive.

_Well I guess you think we're just goinna kiss and makeup don't ya_

"Hermione," he purred.

_(That's when she said)_

Without hesitating or even thinking about it, apparently, Hermione put her fist in his nose.

_Why don't you kiss...kiss this  
And I don't mean on my rosy red lips_

"Kiss my ass, you fairweathered, tiny little prick. And I do mean tiny," she snarled vindictively.

_Me and You, oh we are through  
And there's only one thing left for you to do_

"If you think _sorry_is going to fix this then you have another fucking thing coming," she snapped. She turned to the bar and grabbed a jaegar shot that Fred had just poured. She threw it back like a professional, nodded her thanks to Fred and stormed off into the crowd, taking a piece of Fred's heart with her.

_You just come on over here one last time  
Pucker up and close your eyes, and kiss this...good bye_

Fred watched with half a mind as a girl tore her boyfriend a new one.

_Well the next thing I recall_

"Please don't tell me I was that bad."

He looked up in surprise as Hermione took a seat at the bar.

"Howdy stranger," he said, pouring her a drink. "Haven't seen you in a week."

_She had him back against the wall_

She blushed becomingly but accepted the Jack and Coke. "Thanks. I was just out job hunting."

"Any luck with that?" he asked. For the past month, Hermione had been an all but permanent fixture at the bar. She showed up at least once a night for a drink and the two of them got talking. She'd moved past her man troubles and on to job troubles.

_Chewing him like a bulldog on a bone_

"Yes, actually," she said, watching the guy fall to his knees and begin crying. "Nice trick that," she commented.

"It always seems to work," Fred said. "The two of them are in here at least once a month, arguing about something or other and that seems to be his trump card. Can't wait for the day it doesn't work."

_She was putting him in his place_

She chuckled. "But what have you been up to, my fine friend?" she asked.

"The shop is coming along," he said. "But you probably knew that."

"I did," she confessed.

"Hermione...I hope this won't sound too forward or anything, but...would you consider going on a date with me?"

_And I mean right up in his face  
Draggin' him down a list of done me wrongs_

"THIS?"

Hermione and Fred looked up from their conversation to see her former beau weaving drunkenly through the crowd. The couple that had been arguing were in the make up phase of their tete-a-tete and stopped when they saw the other man coming.

Hermione swivelled fully to face him, her eyes widening.

_It was just about now that the crowd gathered round_

"You left me for THIS?" the very drunk man said.

A frown creased Hermione's forehead and Fred forced an amiable smile on his face. "Does he know I can hear him?" he asked Hermione.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her ex.

_They came to watch him pay for his every sin_

"I came to ask you back, to diegn to let you back into my life," he slurred. "And I find you with this mand!"

_She called him everything under the sun_

"Never been called that before," Fred chuckled.

"You cheated on me," Hermione reminded the other man.

_And when we thought that she was done_

"HERmione!" he began.

Fred had had about enough of this. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the other guy.

_She ran back and she let him have it again_

"Stupify," he drawled.

_She said...she said_

Hermione stared at her ex as he fell over. A smile twitched at her lips and it blossomed into a happy grin as she turned back to Fred.

_Why don't you kiss...kiss this_

"A date, you say?"

_And I don't mean on my rosy red lips  
Me and You, oh we are through  
And there's only one thing left for you to do  
You just come on over here one last time  
Pucker up and close your eyes, and kiss this...good bye  
Kiss this  
And I don't mean on my rosy red lips  
Me and You, oh we are through  
And there's only one thing left for you to do  
You just come on over here one last time  
Pucker up and close your eyes, and kiss this...good bye  
Kiss this  
_

(A/N: Not much to say about this one. I liked writing it but I probably could have done a better job. Oh well. Hope you liked!


	34. Couldn't Have Said It Better

Couldn't Have Said It Better

Meat Loaf

DG Draco just said something he might regret.

* * *

_And you said nothing at all_

Draco couldn't believe the words had escaped his lips. For five bloody years, he'd kept them welled up in his heart, not daring to voice them for fear of her reaction. He peeked at her through his eyelashes.

Ginny Weasley stood, back to him facing the stove. He always knew that damned stove would be his downfall. Of course, he sort of figured one of her brothers would finally find him alone and kill him and serve his innards as sweet breads using that top of the line six burner stove he'd gotten Ginny for their first anniversary. Her brothers were big on poetic justice.

_Well I couldn't have said it better myself_

"Hahahaha!" he laughed, hoping it didn't sound as forced as he thought it did. "As if that would ever happen," he said.

"Oh?" Ginny said, her back still to him. "You were just joking?"

"Of course," he said, swallowing hard.

_Tonight the conversation takes the fall_

"Oh. If you say so," she said and brought over the rest of dinner. He eyed it with distrust. After all it was all the damned food's fault that he'd just asked Ginny to marry him.

_Just love me like you love nobody else_

"You did what?" Harry said, falling out of his seat. He emerged from behind his desk and stared at Draco.

Draco had no idea why he and Harry got along so well. Maybe it was that they were finally in positions in life where they were no longer competing for everything. Harry was the top Auror and Draco was the Head of the department of Misuse of Magical Artifacts. In all, they almost never saw each other which added to their newfound comfortability with each other.

"Her brothers are going to kill you," Harry said, getting up and reseating himself.

"I know," Draco groaned.

"I mean it, Malfoy. They're really going to kill you. It was fine when you were just dating."

_Little lady, I think there's something  
on your mind_

That was news to Draco. "Wait, why?"

"Because they always figured that Ginny would eventually dump you and move on to someone else."

"We've been dating for five years," Draco pointed out.

"So they aren't the most perceptive lot in the world," Harry admitted. "But they really are going to kill you if you even think about pulling that ring out of your pocket."

_I've known you long enough to know_

Draco reached down and fingered the box through the fabric of his pants. "How did you know about that?" he asked.

"I'm an Auror," Harry sniffed. "It's my job. Look, just keep it in your pants, Malfoy. Stop sniggering. Her brothers will grind you into pulp if you ever try that again."

"Look, it just came out. It wasn't on purpose."

"It's called a Freudian slip and on purpose or not, you've instilled the idea in her head and you're screwed. You either have to break it off or commit and if you commit, her brothers will tear you to pieces."

"Froud? What does that goblin drawing guy have to do with anything?"

"F_reu_d. He was a famous pychiatrist back in- Are you listening to me, Malfoy?"

_The words are not that hard to find_

"Roasted lamb with juniper cream, gnocchi in a sweet wine sauce and green beans. Ending with strawberry and rosehip ice pie."

Draco was drooling just to hear Ginny talk.

"Is that for the menu?" he asked.

"Maybe," she said, scowling at the shelves of the specialty food store. "I wanted to try it on a small scale and see."

_And the harder you try and the  
longer you go_

"How small a scale?" he asked, immediately suspicious. He grabbed a box of panko bread crumbs and tossed them in the cart. She looked at them in surprise.

"What? We're out," he said.

"I just didn't think you liked that avacado tempura I made," she said.

"I like everything you make," he said.

_Well there's nothing but love in those  
eyes anymore_

"Including that violet soup," she said jokingly. He blushed because it was the violet and leek soup that had brought forth the proposal.

"When are we having this dinner?" he asked.

"Grab those mushrooms, will you? No, not the shitake, those little ones."

He did so, putting them in the cart. "Answer my question."

"Saturday night."

"I thought we had that big dinner to attend on Saturday? You know, the one to impress all those big wigs and convince them to sign off on your new restaurant?"

_You know what to say but you  
never know how_

"Oh, hell. You're right. Mm. Would you object to Friday night?"

"Not at all," he said. "Who are we inviting?"

"Dad, Mum and Charlie," she said.

"Only one brother? Looks like I won't need to wear my cup," he joked.

"Don't be to sure," she said.

_You can keep your mouth shut because it  
doesn't really matter right now_

"Hey, do you mind if I invite P-Harry?"

She looked at him in surprise. "No, not at all. That would be fine. Oh, and tell him Astoria is welcome to come as well. I'm sure they can afford a babysitter for the night."

"Does it bother you?" he asked.

"What? That Harry married her? Hardly. He's not exactly the catch of a lifetime," she said, attacking the spice shelves. Draco often likened her shopping to a natural disaster. She swept through and nothing remained on the shelves. He knew it was partially his fault. He did give her full access to the Malfoy Gringotts account and his Muggle account too. He spoiled her rotten and she fed him like a king.

_I will guide you all the way_

"No, that you aren't married with kids yet. I know your mum was halfway through her brood when she was your age," he said.

"Not really. Sure I want to get married and have kids but I have plenty of time for that."

"So if I asked you to marry me, you'd say not yet?" he joked. He could have slapped himself across the face. What the hell was he thinking? Bringing up marriage? AGAIN? This was the second time in three days.

Ginny fell silent, just looked at him.

"Look," he said, rushing off. "Truffle oil! You need some of that, don't you?"

_Because I know exactly what you're  
trying to say_

"You bought her six cases of white truffle oil?" Harry asked, halfway between laughter and pity.

Draco let his head fall to the table. "I panicked!" he groaned into the wood.

"That can't have been good for your wallet."

"No. No it was not," Draco said. That had put him behind almost six hundred dollars but as far as distractions went, it was a cheap one. He wasn't going to tell Harry about the time he bought Ginny controlling stocks in several prominent London businesses just because he'd accidentally called Hermione a mudblood in Ginny's presence.

_You have the right to remain silent_

"You're whipped," Harry said.

"Thank you, Saint Potter," Draco snarled. "Speaking of, you and Ast want to come to dinner Friday?"

"What's with the sudden invite?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Because you're going to make sure I don't make an ass of myself before my lady love," Draco said. "I have marriage on my mind and I need someone there to keep a reign on me."

"I like that plan," Harry said.

_I'll get the lights... you get that smile  
and you say nothing at all_

"I thought you would," Draco drawled.

"So, what recipe does Ginny want to try this time?" Harry asked.

Draco told him. "Holy Merlin that sounds good," Harry said.

"Yeah. If she ever needed a kidney or anything, all she'd have to do is cook a meal and she'd have fifty donors before the dishes were cleaned."

_Well I couldn't have said it better myself_

"Isn't that true," Harry sighed. "Hey, I have to ask, how did you and Ginny become such an item?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you two are really serious. To be honest, Malfoy, I expected this all was just a game to get back at me and Ron."

"I've been with her for five years and you think this is some kind of game?" Draco asked, his voice going quiet.

"Now don't take that 'wounded Slytherin' tone on me," Harry admonished. "You know it's a fair question."

Draco hated to admit it, but Harry was right. "Well, it did start that way. I wanted to get back at you and Weasley and she was pissed off at her brother for some reason or other. I've honestly forgotten what it was. But then we had our revenge. And we kept making excuses as to why we weren't breaking it off. Then we were living together and well, you know how it goes."

"Then you're repeatedly proposing to her and pretending you aren't," Harry said, nodding understandingly.

"Fuck you, Potter," Draco said without even a trace of malice.

_Tonight the conversation takes the fall_

"Now, don't be like that. I proposed eighteen times to Ast before she took me seriously."

"Yeah, but you also proposed seventeen times of those times during a Quidditch scrimmage while watching her kick ass."

"And I meant it."

"But can you see why she didn't take you seriously? She didn't even date you until after the seventeenth time you proposed."

"Yeah, do you know what that was about?"

"You didn't know her name," Draco pointed out. "She was just the Cannon's seeker to you."

"That makes a lot more sense now," Harry admitted.

_Just love me like you love nobody else_

"You know, if my princess here cooked like this, I would be the size of a house," Harry said as dinner drew to a close.

Draco chuckled. "I just have good metabolism."

"And Gin makes him go running," Charlie chimed in.

Dinner had been excellent. The lamb all but fell off the bone and the juniper cream had the perfect heartiness to compliment the tenderness of the lamb and the airy feel of the gnocchi was grounded nicely by the sweet wine sauce. Ginny went to the fridge and pulled out the ice pie. The pie was basically strawberry cream cheese (home made, of course) swirled with rose hip jam and frozen in a graham crust. Draco had first coined the term ice pie but Ginny had embraced it and her pies were specialties at the restaurant.

_I see the angels, they're standing  
right outside your door_

Draco was feeling pretty proud of himself. Almost three days had passed since he last proposed. He felt like he was doing pretty good for himself.

"This looks fantastic, Ginny," Charlie said.

"It does. My baby girl knows how to cook," Arthur said, beaming at Ginny.

"Yeah, she's going to make someone a wonderful wife," Harry said happily.

Draco glared at him. The Boy Who Lived just took a fork full of pie and grinned at Draco. This is what I get for inviting my enemy, Draco thought. So much for an olive branch.

**They're watching over me, they're  
watching over us all**

"Oh, I imagine Ginny would take me seriously if I ever asked," he replied.

"Well, practice does make perfect," Harry replied.

"You'd know."

"Don't worry. You're getting there."

"Do you get the feeling we're missing something?" Astoria asked of no one in particular.

"Well, you see, about five days ago-" Harry began. Draco flicked his wand under the table and Harry went ass over kettle, back over the chair.

"Harry, how many times have I told you not to lean so far back?" Astoria asked, not sounding at all concerned.

_You can send them home tonight, because you  
won't need them anymore_

"Malfoy proposed to Ginny!" Harry bellowed, emerging from behind the table and pointing an accusatory finger at Draco.

"What?" four voices chorused together. Draco felt every ounce of blood drain from his face. He looked at Harry and realized this was his payback for every shitty thing he'd done to the former Gryffindor.

Strangely, he found he liked Harry better now that he had done this. They were going to end up killing each other one day but until then it would be one hell of an awesome and epic fight.

Everyone looked at Draco then turned to Ginny who was once again in the kitchen. She came out, a tray of cocktail glasses and ingredients in her hands.

"Draco, honey, would you do the honors? You're a better bartender than I am." She looked around, realizing that everyone was staring at her.

**In your arms I think I've found the  
safest place to fall**

"What did I miss?" she asked.

"Ginny, did he propose to you?" Charlie asked, his voice quivering.

"What? No. Of course not," she said. She set the tray down. "Harry, what are you doing on the floor? Were you leaning too far back again?"

"Oh my Merlin! Did he do that when you were dating?" Astoria asked.

"Oh, yes," Ginny said. "I can't tell you how many times I had to fix his silly head so he wouldn't bleed to death or get a concussion."

_**When I step in the door and I stare at  
your face**_

"Wait, so Draco didn't propose?" Molly asked.

"No, Mum. I told you that."

"Yes, I did!" Draco snapped, forgetting his promise to never propose again.

"Oh, Draco," Ginny giggled. "You were just kidding, remember?"

_**There are so many things that I wish  
I could say**_

"So..." Harry began.

"Shut the fuck up, Potter," Draco muttered. He rose to his feet, pulled the ring from his pocket and dropped to one knee. "Ginny Weasley, will you marry me?"

There was never a room so silent. Everyone stared at them. Ginny looked down at him then smiled.

_**Well I struggle with words but they put  
up a fight**_

"Oh, Draco, don't be silly. Now make that thing you call a Cosmopolitan. I think Astoria would love to try it."

_**You can keep your mouth shut, because it  
doesn't really matter tonight**_

"NINETEEN TIMES!" Draco roared.

Harry looked up as Draco Apparated into the abandoned warehouse where Harry was in the middle of a magical showdown.

"Malfoy! I'm kind of in the middle of of a fight here," he snapped as another spell came at him, narrowly missing his cheek.

"Oh, please," Draco said. He flung a spell and seven wizards fell to the ground, comatose.

"What the hell did you do?" Harry asked, staring in awe at the felled wizards.

"Oh, just a simple spell," Draco said. "Now where was I? Oh, right. Nineteen times!"

_**I will guide you all the way tonight**_

Harry blinked a few more times then focused on Draco. "Nineteen times, what?"

"I've proposed to that bloody witch nineteen bloody times in the past week and do you know what she's said? What she said each and EVERY single time?"

"Don't be silly?" Harry guessed.

"Yes. That stupid girl has said the same thing each time. It's like she's trying to drive me insane."

"Or she just wants you to propose more times than I did," Harry mused.

"C'mon, Ginny is not that shallow," Draco scoffed. "Now me, I'd totally do that but I'd do it on purpose. I wouldn't arrange incredibly romantic gestures just to have her shoot me down. EVERY SINGLE TIME!"

_**Because I know exactly what you're  
trying to say**_

"How romantic?" Harry asked, pointing his wand at the ceiling. A bright orange flare errupted from his wand tip and disappeared through the ceiling.

"You should get out of here before the others get here," Harry said.

"Oh what are they going to do?" Draco sneered. "I'm the Ministry's fair haired boy."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Harry muttered. "So romantic gestures?"

"I drew her up a bath with rose petals and floating candles. I put the ring on the bath pull."

"How'd that go?"

"The ring almost went down the drain. It's like I'm cursed here."

"Yeah, and you're going to get tasered unless you get out of here soon," Harry said, looking past him. Draco turned to see a small army of Aurors and Muggle police coming in. The police had little boxes in their hands.

"What the hell are those?" Draco asked.

"Tasers," Harry sighed.

"That sounds stupid. What the hell do they expect to accomplish with those?"

"Stick around and you'll find out."

**You have the right to remain silent**

Tasers hurt. "That was incredibly stupid of you," Harry said when Draco came to. He looked around to see he was in the back of a police car, his hands cuffed behind him.

"Stop grinning, Potter and get me out of this," Draco demanded.

Harry grinned through the window at him. "Oh, now were would be the fun in that."

"I'm going to tell your wife that you're a sick sadistic bastard."

"Yeah, she knows that already."

"I'll tell her you told me she was bigger than a piano when she was pregnant with Monica," Draco tried again.

Harry paled. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

**I'll get the light... you get that smile  
and you say nothing at all**

Harry muttered under his breath but went off in search of one of the cops. His face was replaced by that of Ron Weasley who was grinning. Behind him loomed Hermione who was looking exasperated with her husband's glee.

"Hey, Malfoy."

"Didn't I propose to you?" Draco said, pleased to see Ron look like he'd swallowed a Floberworm.

"Wha-?" Ron began, spluttering.

Draco relaxed back into the cushions of the car. "No, wait. I'm wrong. That was your sister."

"You proposed to Ginny?" Ron squeaked.

_**Well I couldn't have said it better myself**_

"Yes and for some reason she thought he was joking," Hermione said. Ron shot her a wounded look.

"You knew about this?"

"Well of course," Hermione said, leveling a look at him that could have peeled paint.

"Honestly, Weasley. They are best friends," Draco said in superior tones. Ron glared at him.

"So, Granger, know any reasons why my lady love hasn't given me an appropriate response?" Draco asked, looking at Hermione.

"Perhaps because the first two times you swore that you were joking," Hermione said. "And I doubt getting tasered at the scene of an Auror raid is the kind of romantic gesture that she's looking for."

_**Tonight the conversation takes the fall**_

"Fill me in then, if you would," Draco purred. "What sort of romantic gesture is she looking for."

"Figure that one out yourself, wanker," she replied sweetly and flounced off.

_**Just love me like love nobody else**_

"Hell of a woman you've got there," Draco said respectfully.

"Hands off," Ron snapped.

"Easy. I think I've taken enough women from your life, Weasley."

_**And I know you feel the same**_

"And on that note," Ron muttered and turned as if to leave.

"Hey, Weasley, can I ask you a question?"

Ron turned back. "What?"

"Why haven't you murdered me yet?"

"Cause Ginny likes you. And you've never made her cry."

"Huh?" Draco knew that couldn't be right. He and Ginny had spectacular fights and he usually ran off and bought her something expensive and culinary related and she eventually forgave him.

_**You've been searching for the words,**_

"Oh, yeah. You've pissed her off before and she's threatened to kill you but she's never cried over you and to me that's more important than how much I loathe your face."

"Hey, Weasley," Draco said as he started away again.

"What?"

"Can I marry your sister?"

Ron turned and grinned. "Sure. If you can get her to say yes."

_**Now you know what to say**_

Draco watched him leave and scowled. He was going to get Ginny to marry him if it killed him.

_**Just say nothing - Don't say a word**_

"So, I've been thinking about your problem," Harry said, returning rather suddenly.

"Wear a bell or something, Potter," Draco snapped, not willing to admit that the Auror had creeped the hell out of him

"Yeah, great way to sneak attack with bells all over me," Harry said amiably. "But hey, if you don't want to hear my plan..."

"Potter, don't be an ass. You aren't good at it."

"I wonder if I can get one of those tasers for my office," Harry mused.

_**Silence is gold - Don't say a word**_

"You know what? I'm going to get one and have Granger rig it so it zaps you every time you Apparate."

"I don't think that's possible."

"Care to find out?" Draco asked.

"Fine. Here's the plan..."

_**This is the moment we've been waiting for**_

"Trust a Gryffindor to come up with a plan this stupid," Draco muttered several days later. Harry's grand, master plan had been...to wait. It was stupid. It was infantile. And it was working. For the past three days Draco hadn't even mentioned the word marriage. He'd gone about like nothing was wrong, like nothing had changed. As if his two week stint of proposals was just a joke.

And Ginny was panicking.

**If I exercise my right**

To all outward appearances, it might seem as though nothing had changed. But since he last proposed, her cooking had changed, become more predictable. He loved coming home every day because it was a different dinner each night.

But now, she hadn't done anything more outstanding than spaghetti in days.

_I will take your body language and hold it  
against you tonight_

The problem was that Draco was getting tired of mashed potatoes and tetrazini.

"Draco? What are you doing?" Ginny asked, coming into the kitchen. Her face looked torn between amusement and dispair.

"Cooking," he said. "Or trying to. This recipe has me doing like seven things at once," he said.

"Oh, Draco," she said with a faint smile. She set down her bag and pulled on an apron.

_**And I know you feel the same**_

"Let me," she said.

"Well I have to learn how to do this sort of thing some day," he said, grabbing a bowl and breaking eggs into it.

_**I've wondered all my life, if this moment comes  
would I know what to say**_

"Oh..."

Draco looked over at Ginny, shocked and horrified to see she was crying. "Ginny!"

She brought a hand to her face and pulled it away, staring down at the tears. "I'm fine," she said, going into the dining room.

"You are not," he said, abandoning his food and coming over.

_Then you say nothing at all_

"You're going to burn your bacon," she mumbled, dashing away her tears angrily.

"Let it burn," he said, kneeling before her as she sat on the couch.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

**So many times I stumbled on the  
words I wanted to say**

"Nothing," she said.

"That's a lie, Ginny and you know it. Tell me."

She took a shuddering breath. "You're cooking."

"Yes. Love you as I do, I miss your knack for new recipes."

_You say nothing at all_

"But you don't love me," she argued.

"Ginny, I wouldn't propose nineteen times if I didn't love you."

"Then you stopped!" she screamed.

He knelt there, not daring to move, barely venturing to breathe.

"You stopped proposing, Draco. What was I supposed to think?"

**So many thoughts, that I should  
have just let my heart explain**

"Ginny, you said no. Nineteen times. I figured...I thought you just needed some time."

"I...I thought it was just a game."

"Huh?"

_You say nothing at all_

She gave a weak smile. "Well, you do play games like that with me."

"Please! Name one time."

"You called me up to tell me that my birthday present was hidden in the restaurant. I spent eight hours looking before you called back to say it was at the apartment."

"Oh, right. That."

**So many ways we could turn the  
words around**

"Ginny, I do love you. I am just trying to be a good boyfriend and give you space here."

"I should know, but I...I liked the romantic gestures. I liked being the center of your attention."

"Gin, you're always the center of my attention," he said. "I love you and I will love you forever even if you never say yes."

_You say nothing at all_

Ginny opened her mouth but Draco forestalled her. He went up and kissed her.

She kissed back and they continued that for several long seconds. Then, at the same time, they burst into laughter. He rose to his feet, drawing her up with him.

"What were you making for dinner?" she asked, wrapping her arms around him.

"Bleu cheese and bacon quiche," he said.

"Draco...let me make dinner."

"As you wish, beloved," he said, kissing her.

**So many nights our hearts came  
crashing to the ground**

"So...I propose a plan," Draco said after dinner. Ginny had resumed control of the kitchen with full force. She had done something utterly divine with the cheese and the bacon. He didn't even know what to call it but he loved it instantly and demanded she put it on the menu.

"What's that?" she asked, pulling a bowl of chopped fruit from the fridge and placing it between them on the table.

"You keep making awesome meals and I promise that once a week I will propose to you in a very romantic way."

"What happens when I say yes?" she asked, spearing a strawberry slice with her fork.

_You say nothing at all_

"I'll still propose. Every week until you say to stop."

"Hey, Draco," she said as he forked a piece of watermelon.

**So many dreams that are finally  
coming true**

"Yeah, lover?" he said around the piece.

"Ask me again."

_Well, I couldn't have said it better myself_

He swallowed. Then he rose to his feet and leaned across the table, moving until his lips were almost on hers.

"Hey, lover? Wanna marry me?"

She giggled. "Hell yes, handsome."

He grinned and sealed her lips with a kiss.

**Now you finish me off when you  
finish my thoughts the way you do**

"What the hell is this?" Harry asked, picking up the mannila envelope. He swore as a shock ran up his arm and he dropped the envelope.

"Don't be bratty," Draco said when Harry glared at him.

Harry picked up the envelope again and opened it.

"Holy shit."

"MALFOY!" Ron bellowed, storming into the room. "You...you...she...you...YES?"

"Yup," Draco said, grinning.

Hermione came in as well. She looked down at the invitation in Ron's hands. "Oh, hey, congrats, Malfoy. Let me know if you or Ginny want some help planning the wedding."

_**You say nothing at all  
Well I couldn't have said it better myself  
Tonight the conversation takes the fall  
Just love me like love nobody else  
**_

(A/N: This is my favorite song ever. Go listen to it. Now!


	35. It's My Party

It's My Party

Leslie Gore

PP/HP DM/GW It's Pansy's birthday party and she is very disturbed to find out that her so-called boyfriend has other interests.

* * *

_Nobody knows where my Johnny has gone  
_

"I don't know why you invited me," Harry Potter said, snagging a flute of champagne from a passing waiter.

"Because you owe me a favor," Pansy Parkinson said.

"Yes, you saved my life," he said dryly. "And I have this feeling that you're going to lord it over me for the rest of my life."

_Judy left the same time_

"Now why would I do that?" she asked, smiling prettily.

"Because you're a Slytherin?"

"You're so mean," she pouted.

"Shouldn't you be pestering your boyfriend?" he asked.

Apparently getting your life saved by Pansy Parkinson had stipulations, even after the fact ones like this. Harry wasn't allowed to call her Parkinson, not even behind her back and whenever she had a party, his attendance was mandatory.

According to Pansy, violation of any of these rules meant his death. She kept telling him she would go back with a Time Turner and kill him. He wasn't exactly sure how that would work, or if it was even possible, but he wasn't quite ready to chance it.

_Why was he holding her hand  
When he's supposed to be mine_

"Draco's off doing something or other," she said, though her fingers tightened on her glass.

"You're breaking your glass," he commented.

She looked down with an oath. He took the glass parts from her and fixed them then inspected her hand.

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to_

"I'm fine," she said. She snatched her hand back and he shrugged.

"I just don't want you to die until after I'm out from under your thumb," he said.

_Cry if I want to, cry if I want to  
You would cry too if it happened to you_

"But it's such a pretty thumb to be under," she said, reaching out and pressing a thumb to his nose. "To be honest, I'm surprised you came. Aren't you supposed to be gearing up for the Quidditch cup?"

"We have another two weeks before the semi-finals," he said. "Besides, you told me I wasn't allowed to miss this party."

_Playin' my records, keep dancin' all night_

"Oh, that's right. I did," she said, smiling happily.

It's amazing the kind of power we let girls have over us, he thought, watching her. And he let her. It wasn't just that she saved his life. That was an important part of this but he knew he could have used the Quidditch cup as an excuse. He could have said no right from the start and what would she do about it? Threaten him and get over it.

So why did he let her boss him around like this? Why had he pulled out every favor he had just to get over here for this one night? He was supposed to be almost three hundred miles away.

_Leave me alone for a while_

"Where's your clinger-on?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh? You mean Ginny? I told you, we've been over for years. And I didn't even know you'd invited her."

"Huh," she said.

"Why did you invite her?" he asked.

"No reason," she said. "I want a drink."

_'Till Johnny's dancin' with me  
I've got no reason to smile_

He looked pointedly at the repaired champagne flute which still was half full.

"I want beer," she said.

"Never would have pegged you for a beer girl," he said. "What brand?"

"There's a pumpkin spice blend that our groundskeeper makes onsite," she said. "Greg, the guy tending bar knows which one I like."

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to  
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to  
You would cry too if it happened to you  
_  
"Fine. I got it."

"Have I told you lately how much I love having you at my beck and call?" she asked, smiling pertly.

"You're such a rotten bitch," he said.

"Get me my drink, slave boy," she said, still grinning.

"As you wish," he said, turning.

She snatched his sleeve and he glanced at her. "Have you ever read that book _The Princess Bride_?" she asked.

"No," he lied.

She scrutinized him then let go of his sleeve.

_Judy and Johnny just walked through the door_

He walked over to the bar, noticing a commotion starting in the the left corner. He paid it no mind. The bartender Greg knew what he was talking about and poured a glass.

"Here," he said when Harry turned to leave. "You look like a Jack kind of guy."

He handed Harry a tumbler of dark amber liquid. "Thanks," Harry said.

_Like a queen with her king_

Harry turned and saw quite suddenly what the commotion had been about. Draco Malfoy was standing, holding Ginny Weasley's hand. A ring with a gem the size of a robin's egg sat on her ring finger.

Harry lifted the tumbler to his lips and swallowed deeply.

Pansy.

The thought came to him. He looked over at the precise moment she saw the couple. For a second, her face was blank then she clearly saw the ring.

Naturally all hell broke loose.

_Oh what a birthday surprise  
Judy's wearin' his ring_

Several hours later...

"On the plus side, Hermione offered to help you sue for every penny Malfoy is worth. She assures me you'd win," Harry said, taking a seat beside Pansy. He handed her a cup of coffee.

"I don't doubt that she's a genius, but it would take some pretty spectacular legal maneuvers to make him bleed money."

"You know," he began, taking a sip of his own coffee. "Aside from the part where you burned off half of Ginny's hair, you're actually taking this pretty well."

She sighed. "Might as well tell you. I saw them together. Right before I saved you during the final battle. He was saving her. I confronted him about it later. He promised she meant nothing."

"Pansy...I hate to tell you this, but he lied."

She laughed softly. "Yeah. I know. I guess I knew it then."

They were silent for a long while.

"You know what the worst thing about saving the world is?" he asked.

"What?" she asked.

"Saving it the tenth time. The first time, everyone's like hey, great job. You're awesome. The second time they're like eh, not bad. The tenth time they're like, stop showing off."

He could feel her looking at him. "You remember what you asked me when I finally defeated Voldemort?"

"Yeah," she said. "I asked you what you planned to do next. As I recall you said you were going to become a Quidditch player."

"And you told me to win the cup for you."

"What would you do if you won the cup?" she asked.

"I'd go to Disney World," he replied, straight-faced.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Only the best place in the world. They have the tea cups. You can ride on them until you get sick. There's Space Mountain, which is this awesome roller coaster that's completely in the dark. It's bad ass. I've always wanted to go."

"That sounds nice," she said, leaning against him.

"So, now that you're single again, what do you plan to do?" he asked.

"I want to go to Disney World," she said. "Will you come with me?"

"Only if I can ride the tea cups until I get sick."

"Can we go on Space Mountain?"

"Pansy," he began, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I'm pretty sure between the two of us that we could _buy_ Space Mountain."

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to  
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to  
You would cry too if it happened to you_

(A/N: So this is for all you closet Harry fans out there. I know I'm one of them. I'll admit that I didn't used to like him but he's grown on me over the years. When he's not shouting, he's pretty fun.


	36. Thanks for the Memories

Thanks for the Memories

GH, DG

Ginny has finally broken up with Harry and she can't decide if her relationship with Draco is just her feeling broken-hearted

* * *

_I'm gonna make you bend and break, _

Ginny shrieked in annoyance and turned away.

"Ginny? C'mon. I didn't mean it."

She turned back to him and punched Harry Potter in the face.

_(It sends you to me without wait)_

"Ugh, I could just kill the wanker," Ginny snapped, plopping down into the chair beside her study partner.

Draco Malfoy looked up from their texts. "Oh? What did the illustrious Harry Potter do this time?"

"Everything," she replied.

_Say a prayer but let the good times roll! _

Somewhere in her mind, Ginny acknowledged how stupid it was to be friends with someone like Draco. He was everything she wasn't and there was no end to how wrong they were together.

Still, he was fun. She could complain about Harry, Ron, even Hermione if she had to. Not that she complained about Hermione often. Compared to Ron and Harry at any rate.

In return, Draco complained to her about Pansy, Blaise and anyone else that took his fancy.

_In case God doesn't show... _

"Seriously," he demanded.

"Seriously? He made out with Pansy Parkinson."

Draco choked on the cup of tea he was working on. "Fuck me. I thought she was a Pureblood purist."

"Apparently she makes exceptions for war heroes," Ginny drawled.

_(Let the good times roll, let the good times roll)_

"So what are you going to do about it?" he asked, summoning a handkerchief and wiping off his shirt.

She shrugged. "Hell if I know."

_And I want these words to make things right, _

"Oh, now I know you won't just let it be. I know you too well."

She looked at him wonderingly. The truth was he did know her, better than most people. The only other person who'd ever known her this well was Riddle.

_But it's the wrongs that make the words come to life, _

"Well what do you think I should do?" she asked.

_"Who does he think he is?"_

He began to grin and Ginny knew that grin too well.

"No."

"Now, Weasley, hear me out."

"No."

"C'mon, where's that Gryffindor courage?"

_If that's the worst you got, _

"This is beyond disgusting," Blaise complained as Ginny giggled.

"If you don't like it, you can leave," Draco said, nuzzling Ginny's neck and sending her into another fit of giggles.

"Snape coming," Pansy said from behind her book. If she felt any remorse for having stolen Harry from Ginny, she hid it well. Despite herself, Ginny had to admire the way Pansy handled herself.

_Better put your fingers back to the keys! _

"Miss Weasley," began the familiar drawl of the feared potion's master. "To the best of my knowledge, there is not a shortage of chairs in the library here. So would you mind getting off your boyfriend here before I'm forced to take points."

Draco emerged from where he'd been hiding behind Ginny's shoulder. "Sorry, Professor, but we didn't want to waste any."

Snape's face turned an interesting shade of white, like curdled milk. "Mr. Malfoy, I had better be imagining this."

_One night and one more time, _

Draco smirked at him. "Sorry, Professor. Allow me to introduce my girlfriend. Ginny, love, I'm sure you know Professor Snape."

She looked over to see that Snape had disappeared. "Where'd he go?"

Blaise was looking over the edge of the table with an amused expression. "He just fainted. You know, Ginny, if you keep this up, you might just be worth it to hang out with."

"Back off," Draco said. "She's mine."

_Thanks for the memories, _

"I can't believe this!" Ron shrieked.

Harry was staring at Ginny with open mouthed awe and Hermione was wavering between supreme amusement and disappointment. Ginny wondered what Hermione was disappointed over.

"I can't believe this!" Ron repeated.

_Even though they weren't so great; _

"You're repeating yourself, Ron," Hermione said, trying to hide her smile.

"This is awful! My baby sister has been corrupted!" Ron yelled.

"I'd hardly call a couple of kisses being corrupted," Ginny pointed out.

_"He tastes like you only sweeter"! _

"KISSES?! There's cannoddling involved?"

"Ron, please, it's nothing you need to be worried about," Ginny said.

"You're my sister! Ginny! Harry, talk some sense into her!"

"Should be hard for him," Hermione spoke up. "I mean it would be a little hypocritical of him."

"Hypocritical? Why's that?" Ron demanded.

_One night, yeah, and one more time, _

"Well he is dating Pansy Parkinson," Hermione said.

"WHAT? Has my world gone mad?" Ron fled the room, screaming about Slytherins.

"He took that well," Ginny said.

_Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories; _

Harry looked concerned and followed his friend out of the room. Hermione turned to Ginny.

"So what did Harry do to piss you off?"

"What makes you say that?"

_"See, he tastes like you only sweeter"! _

"The fact that you're flaunting Draco to everyone in the known universe. I mean, the only other excuse is that you actually like him."

_Been looking forward to the future, _

Ginny felt her cheeks heat up.

"Oh my god! You do like him!"

"I do not!" Ginny lied.

_When my eyesight is going bad, _

"What are we doing?" Ginny asked as Draco led her to the carriage that awaited.

"Enjoying our Hogsmeade weekend," he said.

"I know that," she said. "I meant where are we going and why?"

"To have dinner," he replied.

_And this crystal ball._

Ginny did not like the sound of that. "With who?"

He said something that sounded suspiciously like 'My parents'.

_It's always cloudy except for, (Except for)_

"Tell me I heard you wrong," she begged as the carriage started off.

"Nope. We're having dinner with my parents."

"Why?"

_When you look into the past (look into the past), _

"Because this isn't a one night stand, Ginny. I don't do anything half-assed. We've been pretending to be in love for months now and in a normal relationship, this would be about when we met each other's parents."

"Well, not necessarily," she said. "If you were planning to propose, then yes. Um...are you planning to propose?"

"Now why would I do that," he asked, but did not look at her.

_One night stand... (one night stand off), _

"That actually wasn't as horrible as it could have gone," Draco said some three hours later.

"Draco, your father caught the place on fire," Ginny pointed out, looking at the still burning building.

"Yes," he admitted. "But I was prepared for that."

He pulled out MelloPillows, Chocolate Frogs and graham crackers from various pockets. "S'mores?"

She laughed and went in search of sticks.

_One night and one more time, _

"GINNY!"

"Go'way,Ron," Ginny muttered into her pillow. It was summer break. Why was she still waking up before ten in the morning?

"GINNY!"

"Oh, that's right," she murmured, levering herself out of bed.

_Thanks for the memories, _

"What is it, Ron?" she asked. Her brother, the most recent graduate of the Weaslely family, was staring at a paper in his hand. An enevelope lay open on the kitchen table.

"Have you seen this?" he asked, his voice cracking.

She started a kettle for tea and tightened her robe's tie. "Seen what?"

_Even though they weren't so great; _

"This!"

She set the kettle on the burner, turned it on and turned back to her brother. He was waving the paper. She grabbed it from his grasp and read it quickly.

_"He tastes like you only sweeter"! _

She read the front page, her eyes immediately going to the moving picture of the happy newly-weds.

"Well, Harry finally got the stones, did he?" she mused aloud.

"This is unbelievable!" Ron grumbled. He looked prepared to go on but Hermione chose that moment to enter the room. Ginny used the much earned respite to read the article properly. Apparently Harry Potter, hero of the free world, had decided to elope with Pansy Parkinson.

_One night, yeah, and one more time, _

"Well?" Ginny finally said, getting up and setting the paper back on the table.

"Well what?" Ron sputtered.

_Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories; _

"Aren't you going to go congradulate him? I mean he is your best mate."

_"See, he tastes like you only sweeter"! _

Ron muttered angrily but left, presumably in search of decent clothing.

Hermione looked at Ginny with a suspicious expression on her face.

"What?" Ginny asked.

"You're taking this rather well," Hermione pointed out. "It's almost like you knew that this was coming."

"Who? Me? Never!"

_They say I only think in the form of crunching numbers_

"I still can't believe you talked me into being a witness at that git's wedding," Draco grumbled as Ginny adjusted his bowtie.

"Well, he did get rid of the Dark Lord," she pointed out, smoothing his lapels.

"I have a question for you, Ginny," he said, playing with her hair.

"Mm?"

_In hotel rooms collecting page six lovers_

Draco didn't have a chance to ask. Ron swept into the room and instantly fixed his death glare on Draco. The twins quickly followed suit. For reasons no one could fully appreciate, the twins had taken a shine to Draco. Ginny didn't get it and she was certain she didn't want to.

"Malfoy, absolutely corking to see you," Fred said.

"Positively delighted you could make it," George agreed.

_Get me out of my mind and get you out of those clothes_

"Well it is your parent's twenty fifth wedding anniversary. And I think my lovely girlfriend here wouldn't appreciate it if I made her go alone."

Ginny smacked him lightly.

_I'm a liner away from getting you into the mood, whoa_

The night danced by. Toasts were raised to Molly and Arthur. Pansy and Harry were congradulated often. Ginny did envy Pansy a little. Harry was a wonderful man and the idea of breaking Pansy's heart would never occur to him. She knew she wasn't for him and she had known it long before they broke up.

"Ginny? I do still have a question for you," Draco said as the dancing started.

"Of course," she said.

_One night and one more time, _

"Mind I steal my daughter?" Arthur said.

"Of course not," Draco said thought he looked as if he did mind.

"Thank you," Arthur said, taking Ginny's hand.

_Thanks for the memories, _

"Do you like him?"

"Hm?" Ginny sputtered. "Of course, Daddy. I don't play around."

"I know that, baby. But does he?"

"Well, yeah."

"Are you sure? Look, he might not be my dream son-in-law, but he is a good kid at heart. And you bring that out in him."

_Even though they weren't so great; _

Ginny didn't know what to say. Fortunately the song ended and Draco came over to sweep her away.

"Where are we going?" she asked as he led her off the dance floor and towards the gardens.

"The gardens, Ginny."

_"He tastes like you but sweeter"! _

"Why?" she asked as they came out into the main garden.

"Because I've been trying to get you alone all night and this seemed the best way."

"Okay, you have me alone? What did you want to ask?'

He released her hand and ran his own hands through his hair. "I...I have your father's blessing. I have five of your six brother's blessings. I have a ring..."

"Oh...Oh god," she gasped.

_One night, yeah, and one more time, _

"But I thought...I thought this was just..."

"Is that all it is to you?" he asked.

"No!" she answered instantly and honestly.

_Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories; _

"Then you like me?"

"Do you really think I would have done everything I've done for the past year if I _just_ liked you?"

"Then...?"

_"He, he tastes like you only sweeter"! _

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" she demanded.

"When did you know?" he asked softly.

"When you didn't punch Ron in the throat the first time he asked if we'd had sex."

_One night and one more time (One more night, one more time), _

He laughed, the tension easing from him. He moved closer, taking her in his arms.

"When did you know?" she asked.

"When my father asked you the same question and you, straightfaced, lied and told him you were expecting."

She laughed back. "That might have something to do with why he set fire to the restaurant."

_Thanks for the memories, _

"Did he ever figure out that I was lying?" she asked.

"He'll get it eventually," Draco said, sealing her lips with a kiss.

_Even though they weren't so great; "He tastes like you but sweeter"! _

"This is disgusting," Ron said, watching his sister and his least favorite person in the world suck face.

"If it's so disgusting, why did you give your blessing?" Fred asked, watching the same spectacle with a fond smile.

_One night, yeah, and one more time (One more night, one more time), _

"I did not," Ron snapped.

"Yeah you did," George said. "We know because Malfoy made a big deal of it when he asked for our blessing."

"Wait, he said he was missing one when he asked me," Percy said.

"Bill," Charlie said. "Bill and Fleur were off in Egypt and Malfoy couldn't get in touch with him."

_Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories; _

"So you gave your blessing? Why?" Hermione asked, joining them at the window.

"Because he loves her," Ron sighed. "And she loves him."

"You've come quite far, my love," Hermione said, kissing his cheek.

_"See, he tastes like you only sweeter"!_

(A/N: I like how the ending turned out. I struggled over it but I enjoyed it.


	37. Don't Ask Don't Tell

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Zanna Don't

After a shared moment Ginny and Draco know they can't let it go any further.

(A/N: Another duet. Girl in italics, boy in bold. There is dialogue in this song but I cut that for the purposes of my fic. Still, bear that in mind if you go to listen to the song. Which I reccomend. It's a nice song, if a little teen-angsty.)

* * *

**Am I dead?**

Ginny yelped in surprise as someone pulled her back by the waist. She struck out but the grip was strong and dragged her relentlessly back. She opened her mouth to shriek but her captor seemed to follow her line of thought and clamped a hand over her mouth, whispering a silencing curse.

_Sshhh!_

"Weasley! Will you relax for one buggering second?"

At the sound of the voice, Ginny stilled, hardly believing her ears.

She let the man drag her into an empty room. He released her and she turned as he undid the silencing spell.

"Are you going to let me explain?" Draco Malfoy asked.

**Are you an angel?**

"Explain," she snapped. "You'd better have a damned good reason for kidnapping me," she continued.

"Your brother told me to," he said smugly.

"You're putting me on," she gasped.

_No. Just a woman._

He fished out a piece of parchment and handed it to her then turned his attention to the door, casting charms on it.

She unrolled the paper and read it.

Sure enough, it was from Ron. It started with several unfavorable names, all crossed out.

**You healed me. How?**

"Malfoy-" it finally began. "You know how much I hate your guts and I know you hate mine. So I'm only going to offer this once. You know enough dark magic to keep anyone safe. And that's what I'm asking. Keep Ginny safe. That's my sister, you stupid (here there were several more names, all crossed out). If you keep her safe I'll return the favor. You know I have sway with the Ministry and others. I'll do you one favor. Ron."

_Through an open mind._

"What's the favor?" she asked. "And how do you plan to keep me safe from this?"

'This' meant the war which was indeed in its death throes.

"It's only a week or so," he said.

"We're going to starve to death in a week," she informed him.

**You are an angel.**

"You're not an idiot, Weasley. You don't know what room this is?"

She looked around. "Room of requirement," she said after a second.

"Yeah. I doubt we'll want," he said, walking over to the couch in the corner and sitting down.

_Sshhh...We mustn't?_

Ginny lay on her stomach, reading from a Stephen King book.

"What the hell is that?" Draco asked, looking over her shoulder.

"It's a book," she replied. They were going on their third day and she knew tensions were running high between them. They needed time apart, the one thing the Room couldn't give them.

**Can I do this?**

"I know that," he snapped. "Merlin, could you be anymore literal?"

She rolled onto her back and stared up at him. "Then why did you ask?" she said.

"I meant, is that a Muggle book?"

_Don't ask._

"Oh. Well you should have specified that," she said. "Yes. It is a Muggle book. What of it?"

"Would you not read it?" he asked. "It's bad enough being here with you, but I don't want to deal with someone who reads Muggle trash."

**Can I think this?**

"My god! You are an annoying individual," she snapped. "How the hell did Parkinson put up with you?"

"Because I'm that amazing," he said.

_Don't tell._

"Please!" she snapped, pushing herself up on her elbows. "I bet she just says that because she's after the prestige of your family name," Ginny said waspishly.

"Weasley, if you weren't a blood traitor, I'd prove to you that I'm that fucking good," he snapped.

"Oh, sure, use _that_ as an excuse," she returned angrily.

**Can I feel this?**

"In case you haven't noticed," she began. "You're as much a traitor as me. Keeping me safe? You think your dad's going to be thrilled about that?"

"I don't care what he thinks," he hissed then brought his mouth crashing down on Ginny's.

_Don't say anything; _  
_We both know very well._

It was surprising. Ginny lounged there, propped on her elbows, his very nice lips against hers. She appreciated it.

He pulled back and glowered down at her as if to say, look what you made me do.

"Well?" he finally asked after a moment.

**But if I feel this**

She knew she should say something scathing, something to destroy what was building in the moment. If she didn't, if she kept quiet...

"Not bad," she finally said. "But your technique could use some work," she replied.

He scowled at her and opened his mouth. She took the advantage. She grabbed his neck and drew him down to her.

_Don't ask._

That was how it was for the next several days. They would argue and go on about something. There was almost nothing they agreed on.

**I want to tell you.**

And the moment they began to argue, Ginny would tackle him or he would grab her and seal her lips.

The time passed. Ginny spent most of her time trying to introduce Draco to new things and he spent his time either avoiding that or teaching her charms.

_Don't tell._

"What does this one do?" Ginny asked as he held her hand, twisting her hand until her grip was just right on her wand.

"False memory charm. It only goes back about fifteen minutes but it's useful if you run into police."

**I want to say to you**

"What about this one?" she asked several minutes later when he had taught it to her.

"This one is to help sooth a broken heart."

"What about a heart that's going to break?" she asked.

_Don't say anything;_

"What do you mean?" he asked, releasing her.

"Nothing," she said.

**Just what this is.**

"You meant something."

"Yeah, let's fight again," she said. "That's all we ever do."

He siezed her and trapped her against the wall. "NOt until you tell me what you meant."

_We both know very well. _

"The war is going to end. And where will that put us?"

"Your brother will come."

"And take me away."

_If we parachute into battle_  
_and you happen to get stuck in a tree,_  
_then I cut you loose and then run away_

_without telling you it was me_

"Who says?"

"You aim to stop him? He's my brother. And how would this work anyway?"

"Ginny."

_that is how I'll kiss you._

"Do you love me?"

"I...I...I can't tell."

"Do you or don't you? It's not that hard a question."

"I don't know."

**If we're ever in the same tank or submarine,**  
**and I refuse to share your periscope,**  
**then you'll know what I mean ?**

"Do you?" he asked, touching her neck.

"Stop it. How I feel can't change how you feel."

"We aren't good for each other, Ginny, and you know that."

"Then why do my feelings matter? WHy does it matter that-if I love you?"

**That is how I'll kiss you.**

He kissed her with bruising force. "It matters."

"We can't be together."

_Don't ask don't tell _

"You're right," he said. "Tell me."

"I'll tell you if you tell me."

"And if I don't?"

"Tell me how you feel. I don't need lies, just the truth."

**Don't ask don't tell don't ask**

"I don't know how it feels to love someone. But I'm not ready to spend a lifetime without you," he said.

"I love you too," she murmured and kissed him.

_Here. Take my dog tag. As a memento... _

**...of a love that could never be.**

The door to the room opened.

_**Don't tell.**_

Ginny and Draco sprang apart as if burnt. They stared, half in horror as Ron and Harry burst in.

"Ron," Ginny gasped. She stood, surprised. He crossed to her and siezed her in a grea hug.

"Thank Merlin you're alright," Ron cried.

"Ron! I'm fine. I just can't breath."

"Weasley," Draco began.

_If I pass you in the hall,_  
_And I turn my eyes away;_

Ron looked at him cooly. "Thank you, Malfoy."

"Whatever. This girl is really annoying, you know that, right?"

"Shut up, you annoying git," Ginny snapped back at him.

_If I have to say hello to you_  
_and I don't say your name ? _

"I don't like you, Malfoy, but thank you," Ron said.

"Whatever. War over?"

"Yeah," Harry said. He came over and moved as if to kiss GInny. Ginny pulled back and caught sight of the look on Draco's face.

_that is how I'll kiss you._

Harry settled for GInny's cheek. "Come on. Let's get you home."

Ginny glanced at Draco then nodded. "Yeah. That's a good idea."

**If I see you, and I sit across the room;**

Draco entered the manor and waited. In moments a small army of house elves surrounded him.

"Where are my parents?" he asked.

"Mrs Malfoy died in the fight," one of the elves said quietly. "Your father is in prison."

**if I meet you in a group of friends**  
**and turn my back on you ?**

Draco nodded. It was as he had expected but his chest still ached. He found his hands clenching. At first he thought it was with anger but then he realized that he was reaching for Ginny.

"Fuck," he muttered. He did love her.

**that is how I'll kiss you. **

School was starting again. Ginny was going back alone. Most of her friends were coming back but it was different. She had always had a brother going before her and now to be alone, it was just strange.

And she wanted Draco. Her heart burned and none of the spells had helped. She knew dozens that could help her hurts but they didn't help. Everything was fire and brimstone in her heart.

_I wish our lives could go on_

She sat in her window sill, watching the moon as it rose, white as milk and bright as day.

**That is how I'll kiss you.**

"I miss you, Draco," she said. She did this often. After almost three months with him alone in that room, it was strange to go a day without talking to him. They had shared everything, especially in those last weeks.

_Within the confines of this song._

"I'm a little scared to go back to school. I don't know what they'll think of me. They fought. All of them and I hid. Not that I minded. God, you know I didn't mind being with you."

**That is how I'll kiss you.**

"Was it wrong? What we did? I mean we never did anything like that, but...Well, Harry and I were broken up but I knew he still had feelings for me. Still does, I guess."

_For once it ends, what will be there_

"Do you think about me?"

**That is how I'll kiss you.**

"I don't know how long I can keep this up. I don't know if I want to keep thinking about you."

_Only the silence I can't bear._

Ginny stood in the kitchens. On the other side of the door, she could hear Ron and Hermione's wedding. Ginny was hiding. She knew Harry wanted to propose to her but she wasn't ready for that.

She wasn't even sure why she was with him. Only it kept her mind away from...

**Can I do this?**

"Ginny? Where are you?"

She winced and ducked out the back of the kitchens. She was not doing this today.

"Hey, kiddo."

_Don't ask._

Her heart stopped and she turned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Where have you been? Why-"

He grabbed her and stopped her questions the way he always had.

**Can I think this?**

"I hate you," she said when he released her.

"You don't mean that," Draco said.

"No. I don't."

_Don't tell._

"You thought about my offer?" he asked.

"It's the worst idea ever."

"I know."

**Can I feel this?**

"What if I say it?"

"What?" she asked.

"I'm ready to."

"Draco, don't be stupid."

"I love you, Ginny."

_Don't say anything; _  
_We both know very well._

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Draco..."

"I mean it."

"I can't..."

He nodded. "I understand. I won't bother you again, Ginny."

He started to leave but she seized his shirt and kissed him with everything in her soul.

"I can't stand watching you leave again," she hissed.

"What a needy little thing you are," he said. He scooped her into his arms and went to grab his broom.

**But if I feel this**  
_Don't ask._  
**I want to tell you.**  
_Don't tell._  
**I want to say to you**  
_Don't say anything_  
**Just what this is.**  
_We both know very well._


End file.
